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• When is birth optimal for women with chronic or gestational hypertension at term?. • Planned early term birth may reduce maternal morbidity and pre-eclampsia. • Ongoing expectant care may reduce neonatal morbidity. • The WILL trial is designed to resolve these uncertainties. To address optimal timing of birth for women with chronic or gestational hypertension who reach term and remain well. Pragmatic, non-masked randomised trial. Inclusion: maternal age ≥16 years, chronic or gestational hypertension, singleton pregnancy, live fetus, 36+0–37+6 weeks' gestation, and able to give documented informed consent. Exclusion: contraindication to either trial arm (e.g., pre-eclampsia or another indication for birth at term), blood pressure (BP) ≥ 160/110 mmHg until controlled, major fetal anomaly anticipated to require neonatal care unit admission, or participation in another timing of birth trial. Randomisation (1:1 ratio, minimised for key prognostic variables: site, hypertension type, and prior Caesarean) to 'planned early term birth at 38+0-3 weeks' or 'usual care at term' (revised from 'expectant care until at least 40+0 weeks', Aug 2022). Maternal co-primary: composite of 'poor maternal outcome' (severe hypertension, maternal death, or maternal morbidity). Neonatal co-primary: neonatal care unit admission for ≥4 h. Each co-primary is measured until primary hospital discharge or 28 days post-birth (whichever is earlier). Key secondary: Caesarean birth. Sample of 1080 participants (540/arm) will detect an 8% reduction in the maternal co-primary (90% power, superiority hypothesis), and give 94% power for a between-group non-inferiority margin of difference of 9% in the neonatal co-primary. Analysis will be by intention-to-treat. Ethics approval has been obtained (NHS Health Research Authority London Fulham Research Ethics Committee, 18/LO/2033). The study will provide data for women to make informed choices about their care and allow health systems to plan services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]