Blood pressure and urinalysis are often omitted in women who have suffered pre-eclampsia at their six-week postnatal check.

Abstract

Women with pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia were visited between six weeks and three months postpartum and were asked to recall if they had their blood pressure and urine tested at their six-week postnatal check. Of 257 audit participants across 21 maternity units in the United Kingdom over the period 1st June 2001 to 31st May 2002, 93% (n= 238) recalled having had their blood pressure taken and 28% (n = 73) recalled having had their urine tested. A significant proportion of women were not being screened for unresolved pre-eclampsia at their six-week routine postnatal examination.