The importance of cuff width in measurement of blood pressure in pregnancy.

Blood pressure was measured indirectly in 218 normotensive primigravidas with arm circumferences ranging from 21.7 to 36.1 cm using three standard blood pressure cuffs. It was found that the medical profession's lack of awareness as to the proper use of cuffs in prenatal care may involve 40% of the patients--20% of these have a small arm circumference, will not show a true blood pressure reading, and may fail to get the proper treatment. On the other hand, 20% of these patients who have a rather large arm circumference, may be grouped among those who need special care and attention, and may be given unnecessary treatment--a fact which may bring about clinical complications, unnecessary expense, incorrect statistical data and a misleading demographic impact.