high blood pressure problems occur in 6% to 8% of all pregnancies in the u. s. about 70% of which are first-time pregnancies. although the proportion of pregnancies with gestational hypertension and eclampsia has remained about the same in the u. s. over the past decade the rate of preeclampsia has increased by nearly one-third. this increase is due in part to a rise in the numbers of older mothers and of multiple births where preeclampsia occurs more frequently.
how common are high blood pressure and preeclampsia in pregnancy?