Effects of a Case Management Program for Women With Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

Background Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Although case management programs have been proposed to improve maternal and fetal outcomes in high-risk pregnancies, limited data are available regarding the effect of case management on women with PIH. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an antepartum case management program on stress, anxiety, and pregnancy outcomes in women with PIH. Methods A quasi-experimental research design was employed. A convenience sample of women diagnosed with PIH, including preeclampsia, was recruited from outpatient clinics at a medical center in southern Taiwan. Sixty-two women were assigned randomly to either the experimental group (n = 31) or the control group (n = 31). The experimental group received case management for 8 weeks, and the control group received routine clinical care. Descriptive statistics, independent t or Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, paired t test, and generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results The average age of the participants was 35.1 years (SD = 4.5). No significant demographic or clinical differences were found between the control and experimental groups. The results of the generalized estimating equations showed significantly larger decreases in stress and anxiety in the experimental group than in the control group. No significant differences were identified between the two groups with respect to infant birth weeks, infant birth weight, average number of medical visits, or frequency of hospitalization. Conclusions/Implications for Practice The nurse-led case management program was shown to have short-term positive effects on the psychosocial outcomes of a population of Taiwanese patients with PIH. These results have important clinical implications for the healthcare administered to pregnant women, particularly in terms of improving the outcomes in those with PIH.