At random, two therapeutic schemes for severe preeclampsia during the puerperium, were evaluated. Group A (n = 20) was left without antihypertensive medication and sublingual nifedipine was used only in case of diastolic pressure of 110 mmHg or more. Group B (n = 18) receive Hydralazine 40 mlg. per os, every 6 hrs.; in this group also, nifedipine was administered in case of diastolic pressure of 110 mmHg or more. The only differences were that in group B the intervals for the administration of nifedipine were much shorter than in group A; also, in the same group the need for another antihypertensive was more frequent (5 of 18 vs 1 of 20 patients).