[Intima-media thickness and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a prospective study].

Purpose: To evaluate intima-media thickness (IMT) in hypertensive pregnant women and to ascertain if an increased IMTcorrelates with the development of preeclampsia.

Methods: A controlled, descriptive and prospective study was conducted in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit (MFMU) of a level II hospital with perinatal assistance. Throughout six months randomly selected pregnant women were allocated in three branches (A - control group, n = 17; B - gestational hypertension group, n = 17; C - pregestational hypertension group, n = 14(.