Accurate blood pressure monitoring is crucial

A review published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG) has argued that accurate blood pressure monitoring is fundamental to early detection and management of a number of potentially very serious maternal health problems, such as hypertensive disorders, obstetric haemorrhage and sepsis.  As such blood pressure monitoring should be undertaken frequently by healthcare providers and barriers to its accuracy such as poor technique and lack of training must be addressed.

Jason Waugh, TOG Editor-In-Chief says: “As this review shows, the ability to measure blood pressure accurately is an indispensable skill for obstetricians, midwives and other healthcare workers, regardless of setting, in order to prevent maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, both in the UK and worldwide. This review is helpful in enabling clinicians to do everything they can to ensure that their BP measurement is accurate.”

Report abstract can be found here

RCOG article about it here