Preeclampsia and future maternal health

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder that complicates 3-8% of pregnancies in the Western world, and is a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although it is a disease unique to pregnancy, evidence has mounted in recent years that preeclampsia has important implications for future maternal health, in particular cardiovascular health. In this review we examine epidemiological evidence for this relationship, and examine potential mechanisms such as insulin resistance, genetic factors and endothelial dysfunction that may explain the relationship. In addition we explore potential future avenues of research into the field, such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.