Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Editorial Team of Hypertension Research in Pregnancy, I am pleased to announce the Journal Awards for the Year 2021.

The aim of these Awards is to recognize papers published in 2021, both clinical and experimental studies, that were highly appreciated by the Editorial Team.

In the year of 2021, following paper has been selected for the Hypertension Research in Pregnancy Awards.

A survey on the measurement of blood pressure in pregnant women and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by the Japan Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (JSSHP)

Hirotada Suzuki¹, Kenjiro Takagi², Kanji Tanaka³, Atsuhiro Ichihara⁴, Hiroyuki Seki⁵, on behalf of the Japan Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (JSSHP)

¹Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan, ²Perinatal Center, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan, ³Perinatal Medical Center, Hirosaki University Hospital, Aomori, Japan, ⁴Department of Endocrinology and Hypertension, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan, ⁵Center for Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan

2021 Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 30–39

Aim: A questionnaire survey was conducted by the scientific committee of the Japan Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (JSSHP) to clarify whether the measurement of blood pressure in pregnant women and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy differ between obstetricians.

Methods: We distributed anonymous questionnaires to 624 members of the JSSHP by mail in May 2019.

Results: Valid responses were obtained from 206 obstetricians. The majority of obstetricians used an automatic sphygmomanometer to screen for hypertension in clinical settings. Home blood pressure measurements were used by 97% of obstetricians to diagnose white coat hypertension. However, blood pressure measurements performed by many obstetricians in clinical and non-clinical settings did not comply with standards for non-pregnant adults. Furthermore, blood pressure goals in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy varied among obstetricians.

Conclusions: In Japan, an automatic sphygmomanometer in clinical settings and home blood pressure measurements in non-clinical settings are commonly used in practice for pregnant women. However, obstetricians may need to be re-educated on how to perform correct blood pressure measurements in these settings. Further evidence is needed to establish appropriate blood pressure goals in pregnant women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Dear Colleagues,

The Editorial Team of Hypertension Research in Pregnancy would like to acknowledge all those who have kindly given their precious time to referee submitted papers. We know that reviewing manuscripts is not easy task and they need to have the critical adequate evaluation and the latest scientific knowledge. This prize is awarded biannually to reviewers who reviewed a number of manuscripts submitted to Journal of Hypertension Research in Pregnancy with high quality, speed and impartialness. I would like to thank you for the efforts and contributions.

I am pleased to announce the Best Reviewer Awards for 2020–2021.

Best Reviewer Award of 2020–2021

* Norikazu Ueki, MD, PhD.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Number of Reviews: 3

Aim: We evaluated the effect of oral aminobenzylpenicillin (OA) for syphilis during pregnancy in terms of treatment duration.

Methods: In August 2021, we requested 2,146 obstetrical facilities to provide information on syphilis treatment in pregnant women.

Results: There were 45 pregnant women who received OA for active syphilis. Among these women, the median duration of OA treatment was 12 weeks, and four (9%) had been prescribed OA for more than 24 weeks.

Conclusion: It takes a long time to adequately treat syphilis with OA during pregnancy.

Background: Determinants that predict consideration of termination of pregnancy (TOP) among women with perceived stress during pregnancy are unclear.

Objective: To explore the determinants of consideration of TOP among women who perceive the current pregnancy as stressful in the framework of stress psychology.

Methods: A total of 696 pregnant women at gestational age 12–15 weeks participated in an online survey regarding TOP as assessed with an original scale, perceived stress of the current pregnancy, coping style, social support, and depressive mood.

Results: Multiple regression analyses revealed that depression, emotion-oriented coping style, satisfaction with instrumental support, and perceived stress during pregnancy predict consideration of TOP. These findings were supported by structural equation modelling; the constructed model explained 79% of the variance in consideration of TOP. The effect of poor satisfaction with instrumental support on consideration of TOP was mediated by depression.

Conclusions: Consideration of TOP can be predicted by depression, emotion-oriented coping style, and perceived stress during pregnancy.

Aim: This study aimed to develop a prediction model for preeclampsia (PE) using routinely examined items in early pregnancy, in particular, the dipstick test for proteinuria.

Methods: A total of 9,086 pregnant women recruited in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study were included in the present study for analysis. Maternal basic characteristics were obtained by self-report, and blood pressure and dipstick test data were obtained from medical records. The assessed outcome was PE, including superimposed PE. We developed a prediction model without the dipstick test for proteinuria (Model 1) and a model with it (Model 2), and compared the two based on mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (mAUROC) using five-fold cross validation.

Results: The mAUROC of Model 1 was 0.769 (95% CI: 0.741 to 0.797) and that of Model 2 was 0.785 (95% CI: 0.758 to 0.812). The difference in mAUROC between the two models was 0.016 (95% CI: 0.004 to 0.028). In Model 2, detection rates were 40%, 49%, and 64% at false-positive detection rates of 5%, 10%, and 20%, respectively.

Conclusions: We improved a prediction model for PE using routine antenatal care items by including the dipstick test for proteinuria.

Puerperal hematoma is a serious obstetric complication. We report a case of a large puerperal hematoma with an uncommon feeding vessel originating from an inferior mesenteric artery. A 28-year-old primiparous woman was transferred to our hospital with a large hematoma in the left vaginal wall following normal vaginal delivery. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed an actively bleeding vulvovaginal hematoma 9 cm in diameter, and transcatheter arterial embolization was performed. Arteriogram of the internal iliac arteries did not reveal a feeding vessel. Embolization of the peripheral branch of the superior rectal artery, which originated from the inferior mesenteric artery, achieved hemostasis. If the internal iliac arteries are not the source of active bleeding, more proximal angiography of the inferior mesenteric artery is recommended to assess uncommon feeding vessels.