To determine the roll-over test (ROT) performance in predicting pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) in primigravidae aged 15-29 years in a public primary care service.

Method:

Prospective cohort study enrolling 369 consecutive and initially normotensive primigravidae. The ROT was applied within 28-32 weeks of pregnancy. PIH was defined as diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 90 mm Hg or systolic blood pressure (SBP) 140 mm Hg, or a rise in DBP 15 mm Hg or a rise in SBP 30 mm Hg. The ROT prognostic properties were calculated, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed.

Results:

For the 20 mm Hg cutoff point, sensitivity was 20 percent and specificity was 93 percent. Positive and negative predictive values were, respectively, 23 percent and 92 percent, for a PIH cumulative incidence of 9.5 percent. With other cutoff points, the ROC curve showed a poor discriminatory value of the test.

Conclusion:

The ROT was not useful for prodicting PIH in a primary prenatal care setting.