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Low-Sodium Diet for Postpartum Blood Pressure Control

Low-Sodium Diet for Postpartum Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07752056
Enrollment
110
Registered
2026-08-07
Start date
2026-09-01
Completion date
2027-12-01
Last updated
2026-08-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy, Pre-Eclampsia, Severe, Pre-Eclampsia; Mild, Postpartum

Keywords

sodium, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, postpartum, pre-eclampsia, diet, salt, high blood pressure

Brief summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to learn if a low-sodium diet improves postpartum blood pressure control in adults who were diagnosed with a late-onset hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does a low-sodium diet lead to decreased mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) on postpartum day 7? * Does a low-sodium diet lead to a decreased MAP on postpartum day 3? * Does a low-sodium diet reduce 30-day hospital readmissions for hypertension-related indications? Participants will be provided with meals for 7 days following their delivery. The experimental diet will contain less than 2000mg of sodium daily. The control diet will have variable sodium content with no restrictions. Participants will be asked to record the food they consume over the study week. They will also be provided with a blood pressure (BP) cuff and asked to record their BP at least once daily.

Detailed description

This study is a prospective, single-center randomized controlled trial (RCT). Due to the nature of the intervention, providers and participants will not be blinded to the study group. In this RCT, researchers will assess if sodium restriction (less than 2000 mg daily) in the postpartum setting leads to lower blood pressure (BP) in those diagnosed with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP). Individuals diagnosed with HDP (gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia) after 34 weeks' gestation will be eligible for the study. Recruitment will occur in the hospital prior to their first food intake postpartum. Following delivery, participants will be randomized 1:1 to either the experimental group (diet with \< 2000 mg sodium daily) or the control group (diet with variable sodium content per preference). While in the hospital, the experimental group will receive a "low salt diet" and the control group will receive a "regular diet" provided by hospital dietary services. Following discharge, participants will be provided meals from Meals on Wheels according to their assigned study diet for a total of seven days following delivery. They will also be provided a log to record the food they eat each day. The daily sodium content will be calculated for each participant and averaged over the 7-day study period. While in the hospital, participants will have their BP checked and recorded every 4 hours by nursing staff. At the time of discharge, participants will be provided with a BP cuff and instructions for how to measure their BP at home. They will be asked to check and record their BP at least once daily. The primary outcome will be the difference in mean arterial pressure (MAP) between groups on postpartum day 7. The MAP will be calculated for each participant based on their recorded BP values on postpartum day 7. Secondary outcomes will be the difference in MAP on postpartum day 3 and the difference in 30-day hospital readmission rates for hypertension between groups.

Interventions

7-day provided diet with total daily sodium intake restricted to less than 2000mg

Sponsors

Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
Lead SponsorOTHER
Meals on Wheels Rhode Island (MOWRI)
CollaboratorUNKNOWN

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adults \> 18 years of age * Singleton pregnancy * Diagnosis of HDP at or beyond 34 weeks' gestation (gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pre-eclampsia with severe features, chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia) * Agree to remote BP monitoring after hospital discharge * English or Spanish as primary language

Exclusion criteria

* Multiple gestations * Pre-existing renal or cardiac disease, liver failure * Pre-existing condition in which salt restriction is not advised (SIADH, Addison's Disease, cystic fibrosis, chronic diarrhea, presence of ileostomy) * Dietary restrictions: vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free, Kosher, severe food allergies, among others

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Difference in Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP) on Postpartum Day 77 days following deliveryParticipants in both groups will check their blood pressure (BP) at least once daily with a provided cuff. On postpartum day 7, the average MAP for each participant will be calculated from all available BP values. The difference in MAP on postpartum day 7 between the experimental and control groups will serve as the primary outcome.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Difference in Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP) on Postpartum Day 33 days following deliveryWhile in the hospital, participants will have their blood pressure (BP) checked regularly by nursing staff. Once discharged home, participants will check their blood pressure at least once daily with a provided cuff. On postpartum day 3, the average MAP for each participant will be calculated from all available BP values. The difference in MAP on postpartum day 3 between the experimental and control groups will serve as a secondary outcome.
Difference in 30-Day Postpartum Readmission Rates for HypertensionWithin 30 days of deliveryThe incidence of hospital readmission for hypertension-related indications within 30 days of delivery will be tracked and compared between the experimental and control groups.

Contacts

CONTACTKathryn Anderson, MD
kathryn.anderson24@gmail.com401-274-1122
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAdam Lewkowitz, MD

Care New England

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 13, 2026