Severe Hypertension Treatment Trends and Racial Disparities Surrounding MFTI Implementation

Introduction

Severe hypertension in pregnancy requires antihypertensive therapy within 60 minutes to prevent maternal stroke and end-organ injury. National treatment rates range from 40-50% at baseline, with Black patients facing 3-5 times higher mortality from hypertensive disorders. The Maternal Fetal Triage Index (MFTI) is a standardized five-level acuity tool designed to improve triage prioritization. We evaluated treatment trends surrounding MFTI implementation at a Level III perinatal center and assessed for racial disparities in treatment timeliness.