Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study

Background: Although blood pressure in singleton pregnancies is related to multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes, the blood pressure threshold has been controversial. Objective: To explore the blood pressure reference threshold of singleton pregnant women in the second and third trimesters. Study desi...

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Main Authors: Yini Li, Xuanjin Yang, Ye Li, Suhan Zhang, Mingyue Hu, Liangkun Ma, Yin Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology: X
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590161325000365
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author Yini Li
Xuanjin Yang
Ye Li
Suhan Zhang
Mingyue Hu
Liangkun Ma
Yin Sun
author_facet Yini Li
Xuanjin Yang
Ye Li
Suhan Zhang
Mingyue Hu
Liangkun Ma
Yin Sun
author_sort Yini Li
collection DOAJ
description Background: Although blood pressure in singleton pregnancies is related to multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes, the blood pressure threshold has been controversial. Objective: To explore the blood pressure reference threshold of singleton pregnant women in the second and third trimesters. Study design: A bidirectional single-centre cohort study was undertaken. Clinical data were collected for women with singleton pregnancies who underwent regular antenatal examinations and delivered at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between July 2020 and June 2023. Blood pressure was recorded at 20–24 and 28–32 weeks of gestation, and hypertension and pre-eclampsia were used as the primary outcomes. The percentiles of blood pressure were calculated, and the 95th percentile was used as the upper limit for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Poisson regression was used to calculated adjusted relative risk (aRR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to analyse the relationship between elevated blood pressure and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to further explore the impact of changes in blood pressure in the second and third trimesters on pregnancy outcomes. p-values < 0.05 were considered to indicate significance. Results: In total, 7854 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies were included in this study. For pregnant women who did not experience adverse outcomes related to blood pressure, the 95th percentiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the second trimester were 131 mmHg and 80 mmHg, respectively. Corresponding data for the third trimester were 130 mmHg and 80 mmHg, respectively. Therefore, 130/80 mmHg was taken as the upper limit of blood pressure. After excluding confounding factors, regardless of trimester, the risks of gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission were found to be significantly higher in pregnant women with elevated blood pressure (p < 0.05). Pregnant women with sustained elevated blood pressure (i.e. in both the second and third trimesters) had aRR values for gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, premature birth, low birth weight and NICU admission that were 19.08 (95 % CI 13.04–28.03; p < 0.001), 11.43 (95 % CI 6.94–18.64; p < 0.001), 2.53 (95 % CI 1.83–3.42; p < 0.001), 2.98 (95 % CI 2.05–4.21; p < 0.001) and 1.79 (95 % CI 1.29–1.79; p < 0.001) times higher than those of normotensive pregnant women, respectively. Conclusion: The blood pressure threshold of singleton pregnant women in the second and third trimesters is 130/80 mmHg. Sustained elevated blood pressure is harmful to the health of mothers and infants. Management and monitoring should be strengthened for pregnant women with elevated blood pressure.
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spelling doaj-art-e85c8a7b4a224650aafcd81907e30a6b2025-08-20T02:06:30ZengElsevierEuropean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology: X2590-16132025-06-012610040010.1016/j.eurox.2025.100400Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort studyYini Li0Xuanjin Yang1Ye Li2Suhan Zhang3Mingyue Hu4Liangkun Ma5Yin Sun6National Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaNational Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaNational Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaNational Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaNational Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaCorrespondence to: National Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing 100370, China; National Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaNational Clinical Research Centre for Obstetric and Gynaecologic Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng, Beijing, ChinaBackground: Although blood pressure in singleton pregnancies is related to multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes, the blood pressure threshold has been controversial. Objective: To explore the blood pressure reference threshold of singleton pregnant women in the second and third trimesters. Study design: A bidirectional single-centre cohort study was undertaken. Clinical data were collected for women with singleton pregnancies who underwent regular antenatal examinations and delivered at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between July 2020 and June 2023. Blood pressure was recorded at 20–24 and 28–32 weeks of gestation, and hypertension and pre-eclampsia were used as the primary outcomes. The percentiles of blood pressure were calculated, and the 95th percentile was used as the upper limit for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Poisson regression was used to calculated adjusted relative risk (aRR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to analyse the relationship between elevated blood pressure and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to further explore the impact of changes in blood pressure in the second and third trimesters on pregnancy outcomes. p-values < 0.05 were considered to indicate significance. Results: In total, 7854 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies were included in this study. For pregnant women who did not experience adverse outcomes related to blood pressure, the 95th percentiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the second trimester were 131 mmHg and 80 mmHg, respectively. Corresponding data for the third trimester were 130 mmHg and 80 mmHg, respectively. Therefore, 130/80 mmHg was taken as the upper limit of blood pressure. After excluding confounding factors, regardless of trimester, the risks of gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission were found to be significantly higher in pregnant women with elevated blood pressure (p < 0.05). Pregnant women with sustained elevated blood pressure (i.e. in both the second and third trimesters) had aRR values for gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, premature birth, low birth weight and NICU admission that were 19.08 (95 % CI 13.04–28.03; p < 0.001), 11.43 (95 % CI 6.94–18.64; p < 0.001), 2.53 (95 % CI 1.83–3.42; p < 0.001), 2.98 (95 % CI 2.05–4.21; p < 0.001) and 1.79 (95 % CI 1.29–1.79; p < 0.001) times higher than those of normotensive pregnant women, respectively. Conclusion: The blood pressure threshold of singleton pregnant women in the second and third trimesters is 130/80 mmHg. Sustained elevated blood pressure is harmful to the health of mothers and infants. Management and monitoring should be strengthened for pregnant women with elevated blood pressure.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590161325000365Singleton pregnancyBlood pressureAdverse pregnancy outcomeBidirectional cohort research
spellingShingle Yini Li
Xuanjin Yang
Ye Li
Suhan Zhang
Mingyue Hu
Liangkun Ma
Yin Sun
Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology: X
Singleton pregnancy
Blood pressure
Adverse pregnancy outcome
Bidirectional cohort research
title Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
title_full Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
title_fullStr Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
title_short Blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies: A bidirectional cohort study
title_sort blood pressure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in singleton pregnancies a bidirectional cohort study
topic Singleton pregnancy
Blood pressure
Adverse pregnancy outcome
Bidirectional cohort research
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590161325000365
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