Hypertension in the postpartum woman: clinical update for the hypertension specialist.

Hypertension can persist from pregnancy or present de novo in the postpartum period and continue to pose a risk to maternal well-being. These risks are magnified as many patients present after hospital discharge and go unrecognized because of decreased medical surveillance after delivery. Guidelines for the management of postpartum hypertension are lacking, often resulting in imprecise diagnoses and incorrect treatment strategies.