WHO Recommendations for the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

Published by World Health Organization on Apr 2, 2025

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Abstract

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

 

WHO recommendations for prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

 

1.Pre-eclampsia - prevention and control. 2.Eclampsia - prevention and control. 3.Hypertension - in pregnancy. 4.Pregnancy complications, Cardiovascular. 5.Guidelines. I.World Health Organization.

 

 ISBN 978 92 4 154833 5                 (NLM classification: WQ 215)

 

© World Health Organization 2011 

 

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Language

en

PICOS

PICO 10.1

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Rest alone
Comparator
Unrestricted activity
Outcomes

PICO 10.2

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Rest plus nutrient supplementation
Comparator
Unrestricted activity plus placebo
Outcomes

PICO 10.3

Population
Pregnant women with hypertension
Intervention
Strict bedrest in hospital
Comparator
Some rest in hospital
Outcomes

PICO 10.4

Population
Pregnant women with hypertension
Intervention
Some rest in hospital
Comparator
Routine activity at home
Outcomes

PICO 20.1

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Low salt intake
Comparator
Normal salt intake
Outcomes

PICO 30.1

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Routine calcium supplementation in pregnancy by hypertension risk
Comparator
Control
Outcomes

PICO 30.2

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Routine calcium supplementation in pregnancy by baseline dietary calcium
Comparator
Control
Outcomes

PICO 40.1

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Vitamin D + calcium
Comparator
No treatment/placebo (no vitamin or minerals)
Outcomes

PICO 50.1

Population
Pregnant women at risk of developing hypertensive disorders
Intervention
Any antioxidants
Comparator
Control or placebo
Outcomes

PICO 60.1

Population
Pregnant women (subgrouped by maternal risk)
Intervention
Antiplatelet agents
Comparator
Placebo/ no antiplatelet
Outcomes

PICO 60.2

Population
Pregnant women (subgrouped by gestation at entry)
Intervention
Antiplatelet agents
Comparator
Placebo/no antiplatelet
Outcomes

PICO 60.3

Population
Pregnant women (subgrouped by dose)
Intervention
Antiplatet agents
Comparator
Placebo/no treatment
Outcomes

PICO 60.4

Population
Pregnant women with gestational hypertension
Intervention
Antiplatelet agents
Comparator
Placebo/no antiplatelet
Outcomes

PICO 70.1

Population
Pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy
Intervention
Any antihypertensive drug
Comparator
None (subgrouped by class of drug)
Outcomes

PICO 70.2

Population
Pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy
Intervention
Any antihypertensive drug
Comparator
None (subgrouped by gestation at trial entry)
Outcomes

PICO 70.3

Population
Pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy
Intervention
Any antihypertensive
Comparator
Methyldopa (subgrouped by class of drug)
Outcomes

PICO 70.4

Population
Pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension during pregnancy
Intervention
Any antihypertensive
Comparator
Calcium channel blocker (subgrouped by class of drug)
Outcomes

PICO 70.5

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Labetalol
Comparator
Hydralazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.6

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Calcium channel blockers
Comparator
Hydralazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.7

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Prostacyclin
Comparator
Hydralazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.8

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Ketanserin
Comparator
Hydralazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.9

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Urapidil
Comparator
Hydralazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.10

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Labetalol
Comparator
Calcium channel blockers
Outcomes

PICO 70.11

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Labetalol
Comparator
Methyldopa
Outcomes

PICO 70.12

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Labetalol
Comparator
Diazoxide
Outcomes

PICO 70.13

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Nitrates
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate
Outcomes

PICO 70.14

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Nimodipine
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate
Outcomes

PICO 70.15

Population
Pregnant women with severe preeclampsia
Intervention
Nifedipine
Comparator
Chlorpromazine
Outcomes

PICO 70.16

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Nifedipine
Comparator
Prazosin
Outcomes

PICO 70.17

Population
Women with very high blood pressure during pregnancy
Intervention
Nitroglycerine
Comparator
Nifedipine
Outcomes

PICO 70.18

Population
Women with high risk of preeclampsia
Intervention
Diuretic
Comparator
Placebo or no treatment
Outcomes

PICO 80.1

Population
Women with pre-eclampsia (subgroups by severity of pre-eclampsia)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
No treatment or placebo
Outcomes

PICO 80.2

Population
Women with preeclampsia (subgroups by whether delivered at trial entry)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Placebo or no treatment
Outcomes

PICO 80.3

Population
Women with preeclampsia (subgroups by gestation at trial entry)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Placebo or n o treatment
Outcomes

PICO 80.4

Population
Women with preeclampsia (subgroups by whether anticonvulsant before trial entry)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Placebo or no treatment
Outcomes

PICO 80.5

Population
Women with preeclampsia subgroups by dose and route of administration for maintenance therapy)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Placebo or no treatment
Outcomes

PICO 80.6

Population
Women with pre-eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Phenytoin
Outcomes

PICO 80.7

Population
Women with pre-eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Diazepam
Outcomes

PICO 80.8

Population
Women with preeclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Nimodipine
Outcomes

PICO 80.9

Population
Women with eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium Sulfate
Comparator
Diazepam
Outcomes

PICO 80.10

Population
Women with eclampsia (subgroups by route of magnesium sulfate maintenance)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Diazepam
Outcomes

PICO 80.11

Population
Women with eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Phenytoine
Outcomes

PICO 80.12

Population
Women with eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate
Comparator
Lytic cocktail
Outcomes

PICO 80.13

Population
Women with eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate loading dose alone
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate loading dose + maintenance regimen
Outcomes

PICO 80.14

Population
Women with eclampsia
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate: lower dose regimens
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate: standard dose regimens
Outcomes

PICO 80.15

Population
Women with preeclampsia (subgroups by dose of regimen)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate: IV maintenance regimen
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate: standard IM maintenance regimen
Outcomes

PICO 80.16

Population
Women with preeclampsia (subgroups by severity of pre-eclampsia)
Intervention
Magnesium sulfate: short regimen
Comparator
Magnesium sulfate: regimen for 24 hours after delivery
Outcomes

PICO 90.1

Population
Women with HELLP syndrome
Intervention
Any corticosteroid
Comparator
Placebo
Outcomes

PICO 90.2

Population
Women with HELLP syndrome
Intervention
Dexamethasone
Comparator
Bethamethasone
Outcomes

PICO 100.1

Population
Women with severe preeclampsia
Intervention
Interventionist care
Comparator
Expectant care (delayed delivery)
Outcomes

PICO 110.1

Population
Women with preeclampsia at term
Intervention
Induction of labour
Comparator
Expectant management
Outcomes

PICO 120.1

Population
Women with antenatal preeclampsia
Intervention
Routine postnatal antihypertensive drug therapy
Comparator
No treatment
Outcomes

PICO 120.2

Population
Women with antenatal preeclampsia
Intervention
Oral antihypertensive
Comparator
Oral antihypertensive
Outcomes