| Table 1: Recommended definitions and diagnostic criteria for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy |
| Hypertension in pregnancy should be defined as a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or more, regardless of the degree of rise in systolic or diastolic blood pressure between visits (grade C recommendation). A systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or more, although not necessarily defining hypertension in pregnancy, warrants close monitoring of the patient and fetus. (Grade B recommendation)
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| A regularly calibrated mercury sphygmomanometer is the instrument of choice. An appropriate-sized cuff should be used, the length of the cuff should be 1.5 times the circumference of the upper arm. A rest period of 10 minutes should be allowed before taking the blood pressure. The woman should be sitting, and the cuff should be positioned at the level of the heart. (Grade B recommendation)
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| Except for very high diastolic readings (110 mm Hg or more), measured with the patient sitting upright, all diastolic readings of 90 mm Hg or more should be confirmed after 4 hours. (Grade D recommendation)
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| Both Korotkoff phase IV and V sounds should be recorded, but the phase IV sound should be used for initiating clinical investigation and management and hence for identifying pregnant women as having hypertension. (Grade C recommendation)
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| Proteinuria in pregnancy should be defined as urine protein level in excess of 0.3 g/d; 24-hour urine collection should be used to determine proteinuria. (Grade A recommendation)
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| Edema and weight gain should not be used to define hypertension in pregnancy. (Grade B recommendation)
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