2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code O10.03Pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium

ICD-10-CM Codes›O00-O9A›O10-O16›O10

ICD-10-CM O10.03
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

O10.03 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Coders also document this condition as benign essential hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complications specified during the puerperium, Essential hypertension, and Hypertension and hypertensive-related conditions complicating pregnancy; childbirth; and the puerperium.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
O10.03
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium
Short Description
Pre-existing essential hypertension comp the puerperium
Parent Code
O10.0
Pre-existing essential hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium

Code Classification

ChapterO00-O9APregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
SectionO10-O16Edema, proteinuria and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
CategoryO10Pre-existing hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
This CodeO10.03Pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for O10.03.

Maternity diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in maternity cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The maternity code edits apply to patients age ange is 9–64 years inclusive (e.g., diabetes in pregnancy, antepartum pulmonary complication).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Benign essential hypertension complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
  • Postpartum pre-existing essential hypertension

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Hypertension, hypertensive(accelerated) (benign) (essential) (idiopathic) (malignant) (systemic)
      • complicating
        • puerperium, pre-existing
          • pre-existing
            • essential

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR PRG027
Complications specified during the puerperium
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR CIR007
Essential hypertension
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR PRG020
Hypertension and hypertensive-related conditions complicating pregnancy; childbirth; and the puerperium
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Benign Essential Hypertension

    a condition of mild to moderate high blood pressure that has no identifiable cause.

  • Malignant Hypertension

    severe hypertension that is characterized by rapid onset of extremely high blood pressure.

Patient EducationClinical

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Your arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal.

The full article covers:

  • What is high blood pressure in pregnancy?
  • What are the types of high blood pressure in pregnancy?
  • Who is more likely to develop high blood pressure in pregnancy?
  • What are the symptoms of high blood pressure in pregnancy?
  • What problems can high blood pressure in pregnancy cause?
  • How is high blood pressure in pregnancy diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert O10.03 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
642.04 Essen hyperten-postpart
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About O10.03Overview

Is O10.03 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Who can O10.03 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium against patient demographics: this code is intended for maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of O10.03?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, pre-existing essential hypertension complicating the puerperium converts to ICD-9-CM 642.04 (essen hyperten-postpart). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.