Clinical Summary for Obstetrical Hypertension Management

How the Program Works | Facts You Need to Know | Hypertension Outcomes

How the Program Works

Matria's Obstetrical Hypertension Management Program offers assurance that your patients are closely monitored for disease progression. Candidates for this service include patients who have been diagnosed with gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension or mild preeclampsia or hospitalized for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and are ready for discharge with close surveillance.

Matria services for gestational/chronic hypertension include:

In-home patient education about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
Daily monitoring of weight and blood pressure
Testing for urine protein twice per week
24/7 telephonic nursing support
Nursing assessment for signs or symptoms of worsening condition
Clinical reports to physician and case manager

Matria services for mild preeclampsia include:

In-home patient education about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
Daily monitoring of blood pressure, weight, urine protein and fetal movement
Compliance support, including bed rest and/or restricted activity
Nursing assessment for signs and symptoms of the progression of preeclampsia
24/7 telephonic nursing support
Detailed patient status reports to physician and case manager
Non-stress tests when ordered

Program benefits include:

Experience and expertise handling 10,000 obstetrical hypertensive patients
Comprehensive patient education
State-of-the-art home-monitoring technology
Pregnancy outcomes comparable to hospital management
Cost savings based on reduced antepartum hospital days

Facts You Need to Know

Affecting up to 8 percent of pregnant women, hypertension is the most frequently reported medical condition during pregnancy and is responsible for the 15 percent of maternal deaths in the United States.[1] The incidence of pregnancy-related hypertension has risen steadily since 1990 from 27.2 per 1,000 live births to 37.7 per 1,000 in 2001 and is more prevalent at the extremes of maternal age distribution (<19 and >40), in obese women and in women with preexisting medical conditions, multiple gestation or a history of preeclampsia. [2]

Hypertension in pregnancy may lead to serious complications and contributes to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. The main perinatal risks contributed to maternal hypertension in pregnancy are related to prematurity, poor placental perfusion, intrauterine growth retardation and abruptio placenta. Maternal complications related to hypertension in pregnancy generally involve the renal, hematologic or hpatic systems.

Hypertension Outcomes

Findings in a cost analysis showed that outpatient versus inpatient management of hypertension during pregnancy yields similar maternal fetal outcomes, though with significantly fewer maternal antepartum hospital days. The study compared one group of women using Matria’s services to one group not using Matria.[3]

The average number of hospital days for women in the Matria group was 1.7 compared to 12.4 for the non-Matria group.
Inpatient and outpatient costs combined were $9,533 for the Matria group versus $19,180 for the non-Matria group.

[1] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Hypertension in pregnancy. ACOG Technical Bulletin: No. 219. Washington, D.C.: The College: 1996. p.1-8.

[2] Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Ventura SJ, Menacker F, Park MM, Sutton PD. Births: Final data for 2001. National vital statistics reports; vol 51 no. 2. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 2002.

[3] Barton, JR, Stanziano GJ, Sibai BM. Monitored outpatient management of mild gestational hypertension remote from term. American Journal of Obstetrical Gynecology, 1994; 170:765-9.