Diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: This guideline summarizes the quality of the evidence to date and provides a reasonable approach to the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP).

EVIDENCE: The literature reviewed included the original HDP guidelines and their reference lists and an update from 1995. Using key words, Medline was searched for literature published between 1995 and 2007. Articles were restricted to those published in French or English. Recommendations were evaluated using the criteria of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1).

SPONSORS: This guideline was developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and was partly supported by an unrestricted educational grant from the British Columbia Perinatal Health Program (formerly the British Columbia Reproductive Care Program or BCRCP). The Canadian Hypertension Society provided assistance with the literature search and some travel support for one author. Much of the Canadian research cited in this document has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The potential for ongoing support is gratefully acknowledged.