During pregnancy, what term describes a temporary rise in blood pressure that often resolves postpartum?

• A. Transient hypertension
• B. Chronic hypertension
• C. Preeclampsia
• D. Eclampsia

Answer: (A)

During pregnancy, a rise in blood pressure that appears during pregnancy and then returns to normal after delivery is described as transient hypertension. The key feature is its self-limiting course—resolving postpartum—without persistent high blood pressure, protein in the urine, or signs of organ dysfunction. This differentiates it from chronic hypertension, which is present before pregnancy or persists after birth, and from preeclampsia/eclampsia, which involve proteinuria and potential complications such as seizures. So the temporary, postpartum-resolving nature is what makes transient hypertension the best description.