Abstract

A questionnaire based survey was carried out in the Avon health districts to investigate the assessment and management of hypertensive disorders in the third trimester of pregnancy by health professionals. A total of 673 responses were analysed from 310 general practitioners, 48 hospital doctors, 214 hospital midwives, 81 community midwives and 120 student midwives. The study revealed a wide variation in the criteria used for the diagnosis of a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy and some outmoded recommendations for management. The importance of continuing education is stressed, in order to ensure that current research and the consensus of expert opinion is being relayed to the personnel involved in antenatal care.