# Subtypes of hypertension and their association to comorbidities and ethnicity in pregnant women

## TL;DR

This study examines different types of hypertension in pregnant women and how they relate to health conditions and ethnicity.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific risk factors and ethnic associations for different hypertension subtypes during pregnancy.

## Key findings

- Chronic hypertension was linked to age, overweight, obesity, diabetes, and Sub-Saharan origin.
- Gestational hypertension was associated with age, overweight, and Asian/Middle Eastern origin.
- Pre-eclampsia was connected to overweight and Sub-Saharan African origin.

## Abstract

We analyzed the subtypes of arterial hypertension and their relationship with different comorbidities and ethnicity during pregnancy.

This is a retrospective observational cohort study in 17,177 pregnant women during the years 2012–2018 in the health region of Lleida.

We analyzed the relationship of chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and pre-eclampsia with different variables, including comorbidities, vascular risk factors, and ethnicity. We calculated the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI) with multivariate logistic regression models.

The total prevalence of arterial hypertension among pregnant women was 3.10%; of these, 1.53% had chronic hypertension, 0.65% had gestational hypertension, and 0.78% had pre-eclampsia. Superimposed pre-eclampsia on chronic hypertension occurred in 25 cases (0.14%). Chronic hypertension was associated with age (OR = 1.07), overweight (OR = 4.32), obesity (OR = 2.11), diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.38), hypothyroidism (OR = 2.23), and sub-Saharan origin (OR = 3.36). Gestational hypertension was correlated with age (OR = 1.06), overweight (OR = 5.84), obesity (OR = 1.89), and Asian/Middle Eastern origin (OR = 3.71). Finally, pre-eclampsia was associated with overweight (OR = 2.37) and Sub-Saharan Africa origin (OR = 2.45).

Pregnant women with hypertension may benefit from the knowledge of the subtype and a consequent coordinated prenatal and pregnancy approach.