The researchers did this study assess the maternal and fetal outcome in women with mild to moderate chronic hypertension on antihypertensive drug (methyldopa or labetalol) therapy compared to no medication.
The present study was a multicenter randomized clinical study. Researchers researched at Menoufia University hospital, Shibin El-Kom Teaching hospital at Menoufia governorate, Egypt. The sample size consisted of 486 pregnant women with mild to moderate chronic hypertension were randomized into three groups; methyldopa group, labetalo group, and control or no medication group who were followed from the beginning of pregnancy till the end of puerperium to record the maternal and fetal outcome.
Neonates in the labetalol group were observed to be more prone to the development of SGA, neonatal hypotension, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and admission to NICU than their counterparts in the methyldopa and control groups. The rate of prematurity was significantly higher in the control group.
The study concluded that treating mild to moderate chronic hypertension during pregnancy is beneficial in decreasing maternal and fetal morbidity.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10641955.2020.1791902
