Hoppe co-authors CHAP study published in NEJM; discusses results with Wisconsin media

Results from the national Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy study were recently published in the New England Journal of MedicineKara Hoppe, DO, MS, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, was the lead investigator for the UW arm of the study and a co-author on the article!

In “Treatment for Mild Chronic Hypertension during Pregnancy”, Hoppe and co-authors shared results from the multicenter, randomized CHAP study comparing pregnancy outcomes when mild chronic hypertension was treated with antihypertensives, or when it was not treated unless hypertension became severe. You can read the whole study here.

Their study found:

“In pregnant women with mild chronic hypertension, a strategy of targeting a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mm Hg was associated with better pregnancy outcomes than a strategy of reserving treatment only for severe hypertension, with no increase in the risk of small-for-gestational-age birth weight.”

The National Institutes of Health issued a press release about the results, which could have widespread impact on pregnancy outcomes for people with mild high blood pressure:

Treating chronic hypertension in early pregnancy benefits parents, babies – NIH

Hoppe spoke with reporters at multiple news outlets in Wisconsin to discuss the results and what they could mean for hypertension treatment during pregnancy in the future:

Treating mild high blood pressure in pregnant women helps mom and baby, study says – Wisconsin State Journal

Study co-authored by UW and MCW researchers finds benefit to treating women even with just mild high blood pressure – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Study finds reducing maternal blood pressure leads to better birth outcomes – UW SMPH

Study with UW Health shows lower blood pressure in mothers protects against birth illnesses – WKOW

Study finds treating maternal blood pressure leads to better birth outcomes – WIFR

Study: Reducing maternal blood pressure leads to better birth outcomes – NBC26

New study shows it's safe to treat pregnant women for mild chronic hypertension – CBS58