[Significance of blood pressure and body weight in the early diagnosis of gestosis. Preliminary report].

Mean weight gain is higher in gestosis than in normal pregnancy. On the other hand, many patients with gestosis had an insignificant increase in body weight. Therefore, the weight gain in pregnancy does not have a predictive value concerning the later risk of developing gestosis. The supine pressor test ("roll-over test") and the determination of mean arterial pressure during weeks 18 to 26 of gestation (MAP-II-value) are simple and appropriate methods for early diagnosis of gestosis. By using the supine pressor test or by determination of the MAP-II-value, 73% or over 90%, respectively, of all subjects with later gestosis could be recognized before the onset of first clinical symptoms of the disease (n = 108). As both methods frequently show false-positive results, a high percentage of pregnant women needs intensive care during the last trimester. In order to select further women with increased risk of gestosis, it is proposed to calculate the MAP-II-value first and to determine the supine pressor response at least in those primigravidae with a MAP-II-value of 90 mmHg or more.