OBJECTIVE The experience of pregnancy for women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is compared to the experience of women with a normal pregnancy course in order to gain insights into the development of PIH and possible strategies for prevention and care. METHODS This study was performed as a retrospective investigation of 21 women - 10 with PIH and as control group 11 with uncomplicated pregnancies - between 5 and 13 months after delivery by means of an interview relating to their experience of pregnancy. The interviews were evaluated by qualitative text analysis with categorisation. The specific categories "planning of pregnancy", "affective complaints", "significant others", "work" and "out-patient care" were compared between cases. RESULTS The interviews with women with PIH revealed a significantly more conflict-shaken pregnancy, often unplanned and undesired. Also during pregnancy there were severe conflicts with relevant third persons. A weak expression of their emotions was observed. Additionally, the majority of women reported a rather disturbed relationship with their physicians. CONCLUSIONS Stress and PIH are intertwined. This is presented in the literature available about this subject. Qualitative research produces only contextual and subjective evidence, nevertheless this is the most concrete base that one can obtain. Only a readiness to deal with conflicts developing during pregnancy and the expression of also negative emotions towards relevant third persons would be helpful to cope with one's own negative feelings. CONCLUSIONS The practical impact on care for women with PIH is awareness for their underlying conflicts, weak emotional expressivity and provision of an adequate supply of psychological support.