Obstetrical intervention rates and maternal and neonatal outcomes of womenwith gestational hypertension

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the obstetrical inter vention rates and maternal and neonatal outcomes of women with gestational hypertension. STUDY DESIGN: Induction and operative delivery rates and indices of materna l and neonatal morbidity were determined in women (37-41 completed weeks) w ith gestational hypertension (n = 979), preeclampsia (n 165), chronic hyper tension (n = 187), and control subjects (n = 11,434) in a retrospective rev iew of St, Joseph's Health Care Perinatal Database from November 1, 1995, t o October 31, 1999. Data were analyzed by chi-square test, analysis of vari ance, Dunnett's t-test, and pairwise chi-square tests with Bonferroni corre ction. RESULTS: The induction and cesarean delivery rates in gestational hypertens ion were similar to preeclampsia and chronic hypertension groups and almost double of control subjects. The length of labor and postpartum stays and t he incidence of operative vaginal delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, and neon atal intensive care involvement were greater in the gestational hypertensio n group than in the control subjects, CONCLUSION: Women with gestational hypertension had obstetrical interventio n rates much higher than control subjects and similar to those with preecla mpsia and chronic hypertension.