Primary prevention

Weight management, stress management, and adherence to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat, particularly saturated fat, are generally recommended for essential hypertension. It is unknown whether they are beneficial in gestational hypertension.

In women in developing countries with low baseline dietary calcium intake, dietary calcium supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of preeclampsia and premature birth, and increase birth weight.​​​​[18] [ Cochrane Clinical Answers logo ] ​​ Dietary calcium supplementation for the prevention of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is only recommended in a research setting.[19]

Antiplatelet agents during pregnancy reduce the incidence and severity of preeclampsia.​​​​[1]​​[4][5][20][21][22]​​​​​​​​ Women at high risk of preeclampsia (includes a hypertensive disorder during a previous pregnancy, multifetal gestation, chronic hypertension, renal disease, autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or antiphospholipid syndrome, and type 1 or 2 diabetes) should take 75-150 mg of aspirin daily, starting between 12 weeks' and 28 weeks' gestation, and optimally before 16 weeks' gestation, until the birth of the baby.[1][5][23][24][25]​​​​​​​

Secondary prevention

Bed rest is not recommended as a treatment for gestational hypertension.[5][72]

In subsequent pregnancies women are recommended to take 75-150 mg of aspirin daily, starting between 12 and 28 weeks' gestation, and optimally before 16 weeks' gestation, until the birth of the baby.[1][5][23][24]​​[25]​​

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