Hypertension during Pregnancy: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin, mucous membranes, and sclerae (white part of the eye) [edema (water retention)?]
    • Auscultation (listening) of the heart.
    • Auscultation of the lungs [possible symptom in preeclampsia: pulmonary edema; here auscultatory moist, coarse-bubble rales (RGs), which in severe cases can be heard without a stethoscope (“bubbling of the lungs”)].
    • Palpation of the abdomen (abdomen) [possible symptom in preeclampsia: upper abdominal discomfort; possible symptom in HELLP syndrome: abdominal discomfort (abdominal pain) in the right and middle upper abdomen]
  • If necessary, ophthalmological examination [possible symptoms in HELLP syndrome: visual disturbances such as diplopia (double vision, double images) or eye flicker; increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)]
  • Gynecologic and obstetric examination – determine if pregnancy is developed in a timely manner (i.e., is the fundal position/upper uterine margin appropriate for the gestational age/pregnancy age?)
  • Neurological examination [clouding of consciousness to coma].
  • Health check for the pregnant woman

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.