Systematic review and meta-analysis of pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with diagnosis of white coat hypertension based on Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)

Abstract

This meta-analysis aims to investigate whether white coat hypertension has unfavorable effects on maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in January 2023 in Medline, EMBASE, www.Clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library. Studies comparing outcomes among pregnant women with white coat hypertension, individuals with normal blood pressure, and women with chronic hypertension during pregnancy were included. Thirteen studies met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. Results: The risk of developing preeclampsia was higher in women with white coat hypertension compared to those with normal blood pressure ([1.18-4.43] 95% CI, RR=2.29, p=0.01, 3157 women). Additionally, women with white coat hypertension had a higher risk of delivering small-for-gestational-age infants ([2.21-5.05], RR=2.47, p=0.01, 200 women) and preterm births ([1.44-5.68], RR=2.86, p=0.003, 2345 women) compared to women with normal blood pressure. There were no significant differences in other outcomes between women with normal blood pressure and those with white coat hypertension.