Chronic hypertension in pregnancy is defined as hypertension that predates pregnancy or occurs before 20 weeks gestation and persists beyond how long postpartum?

• A. 12 weeks
• B. 6 weeks
• C. 24 weeks
• D. 8 weeks

Answer: (A)

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy is defined by high blood pressure that is present before pregnancy or before 20 weeks of gestation and continues after delivery. The crucial point is the postpartum persistence: if the hypertension persists beyond 12 weeks after giving birth, it is classified as chronic hypertension. If blood pressure returns to normal within that 12-week postpartum window, it would be considered gestational or transient hypertension rather than chronic. This 12-week postpartum cutoff helps distinguish long-standing maternal hypertension from pregnancy-related hypertension and guides ongoing management and risk assessment. The other timeframes don’t match the standard definition: 6 or 8 weeks are too short, and 24 weeks is well beyond the typical postpartum threshold.