BPiPP study - Blood Pressure in the Postnatal Period
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Postnatal health and care following hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study
IRAS ID
249428
Contact name
L Chappell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
High blood pressure in pregnancy is an increasingly common complication that increases risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including maternal and infant death, damage to mother’s liver and kidneys and premature birth. The impact of high blood pressure in pregnancy on women’s health and wellbeing in the postnatal period is not well understood, along with the extent to which current postnatal services are evidence-informed and if they are meeting women’s needs. The BPiPP study aims to compare postnatal health of, and the care provided to, women who had high blood pressure in pregnancy compared with women who had normal blood pressure in pregnancy. Eligible women will be approached and provided with study information on the postnatal ward and those happy to participate will be asked to complete a consent form and short (5 minute) questionnaire. Following this initial contact at approximately three months postnatal participating women will be invited to complete a 15 minute questionnaire, with questions included on their: physical health, mental health, their babies feeding habits and the postnatal care they received. BPiPP study findings will be used to provide evidence on if, and how, postnatal health differs amongst women with more complex pregnancies, compared to lower risk pregnancies, and if care beyond birth is meeting these women’s needs, with the view of informing revisions to current postnatal services.
Summary of Results
BPiPP study findings:
1829 women from 17 hospitals across England took part in the study. Women were invited to complete two surveys, one during their hospital stay post birth (in the immediate postnatal period) and one at 3 months post birth.It was important that we listened to women, so what did they tell us….
o Women with high blood pressure in pregnancy had greater health needs in the immediate postnatal period (compared to women without high blood pressure in pregnancy), but by 3 months post birth there were no differences in health needs between women with and without high blood pressure in pregnancy.
o In line with other work in this area we found women with high blood pressure in pregnancy (compared to women without high blood pressure) were more likely to:
• be having their first baby,
• have risk factors for high blood pressure,
• have higher body mass index,
• be of black ethnicity,
• have a longer stay in hospital after birth,
• have help with their delivery.
o 1 in 11 women were readmitted into the hospital after birth. Women with high blood pressure were over 2 and half times more likely to be readmitted.
o Nearly 9 in 10 women reported they had a physical problem at around 3 months after birth (with back pain and breastfeeding problems being the most common). Women with high blood pressure had more severe headaches and migraines but fewer breastfeeding problems than women without high blood pressure.
o 1 in 4 of women with high blood pressure reported that they regularly self-monitored their blood pressure after birth.Why are these findings important and where can I get more information about postnatal health after high blood pressure in pregnancy?
o These study findings have helped to highlight the needs of women in the postnatal period. We are using these results to plan further studies to help women with high blood pressure in pregnancy so that they can have better health outcomes in the short and longer term. For example, early work has shown that women find blood pressure self-monitoring helpful and acceptable and that it reduces their blood pressure over the weeks and months after birth. Our study has helped plan further work in this area.
o There is lots of information about high blood pressure in pregnancy, including how it may affect your long-term health and future pregnancies, available on the APEC (Action on Pre-eclampsia) charity website https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu2790089.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DXv3JSvJ-2B3M71ppf7N9agbXWYYm3dbnvjrLZFWT-2B7ITmA70OEZZ8ymTHZclKWx7N60jqU_E1aO2-2BZlVOSJJV-2FajQqskegTd6IRomHYTi-2Fbt8SH3YKNAdXb6lzIg8DGDZybGNrw6w2M-2BDeYYX505QknO0vo8WVC6KI7joXCLU219UI8woN9oNh8-2BqaaWwv-2Fur7DmelQYFieUlM0jPms6bOcLthkUTaSDu7ovQGJDkLZdS9-2BxEfBmmg743tczceb1B-2FNM8ed4LLeLsGHSh8RO-2Bi-2Bv9iwMQ-3D-3D&data=05%7C01%7Capprovals%40hra.nhs.uk%7C2bdfdc40d56d44f6157a08daa1720798%7C8e1f0acad87d4f20939e36243d574267%7C0%7C0%7C637999808362836330%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HzGlqh8Kq3mrhHBm%2Bz2Y1H0Op8hcCaPe4kczY%2BaWwtE%3D&reserved=0
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/2084
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion