Arm Position and Blood Pressure Measurement Accuracy During Pregnancy

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Pregnancy, Blood Pressure Measurement in Pregnancy, Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

In brief

Accurate blood pressure measurement is essential during pregnancy, as blood pressure readings guide clinical decisions related to the diagnosis and management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Clinical guidelines recommend measuring blood pressure with the arm supported at heart level; however, in routine practice, blood pressure is often measured with the arm in non-standard positions. This study aims to evaluate how different arm positions affect blood pressure measurements in pregnant women. Pregnant women attending a high-risk pregnancy clinic will undergo blood pressure measurements with the arm placed in several commonly used positions, including supported at heart level, supported on the lap, and unsupported at the side. Each participant will have multiple measurements taken during a single clinic visit. The study is designed as a randomized crossover trial with stratification by trimester and chronic hypertension status, allowing each participant to serve as her own control. Participants will be enrolled across all three trimesters of pregnancy, and results will be analyzed separately for each trimester. The primary outcome is the difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements between arm positions. The findings of this study may help improve the accuracy of blood pressure measurement during pregnancy and inform clinical practice regarding optimal measurement techniques.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07405723
Run by: Sheba Medical Center
People needed: 300
Starts: 2026-04-12
Expected to finish: 2026-12-31
Last updated by the study team: 2026-04-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Pregnant women aged 18 to 55 years
Singleton or multiple viable intrauterine pregnancy
Gestational age corresponding to first, second, or third trimester at the time of enrollment
Ability to sit upright comfortably for the duration of blood pressure measurements
Ability to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if…

Preexisting significant cardiac disease (e.g., arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, severe valvular disease)
Chronic kidney disease defined as serum creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dL at enrollment
Significant upper limb or shoulder conditions that may affect arm positioning or blood pressure measurement (e.g., lymphedema, fractures, prior surgery, arteriovenous fistula)
Neurological or musculoskeletal conditions preventing proper positioning
Severe preeclampsia, eclampsia, or other acute medical conditions requiring immediate intervention
Major fetal anomaly
Intrauterine fetal demise

Where it is running

Sheba Medical Center — Ramat Gan, Israel (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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