SNP Shot: Genomic Insights

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) and often abnormally high levels of protein in the urine (proteinuria). It typically develops during the last few months of pregnancy and often necessitates premature delivery. However, postpartum preeclampsia can also occur shortly after childbirth.

Many women with mild preeclampsia are asymptomatic, and the condition is often first identified during routine blood pressure and urine tests at doctor's appointments. Aside from hypertension and proteinuria, preeclampsia symptoms can include significant swelling (edema) of the face or hands and a rapid weight gain of more than 3 to 5 pounds per week due to fluid retention. Additional symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, irritability, shortness of breath, decreased urination, upper abdominal pain, and nausea or vomiting. Visual disturbances such as flashing lights or spots, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), blurred vision, or temporary vision loss may also occur.

In many instances, preeclampsia symptoms resolve within days after delivery. However, severe preeclampsia can damage the mother's vital organs, including the heart, liver, and kidneys, potentially leading to life-threatening complications. Extremely elevated blood pressure can cause bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Hypertensive encephalopathy, caused by the effects of high blood pressure on the brain, can also result in seizures. When seizures occur, the condition has progressed to eclampsia, which can lead to coma. Approximately 1 in 200 women with untreated preeclampsia develop eclampsia, and eclampsia can even develop without prior signs of preeclampsia.

Between 10% and 20% of women experiencing severe preeclampsia develop HELLP syndrome, another serious and potentially fatal complication. HELLP is an acronym for hemolysis (red blood cell breakdown), elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (cells involved in blood clotting), the key features defining this condition.

Severe preeclampsia can also negatively impact the fetus, with reduced blood and oxygen flow potentially leading to growth restriction or stillbirth. Premature infants delivered due to preeclampsia may experience complications associated with prematurity, such as breathing difficulties caused by underdeveloped lungs.

Women with a history of preeclampsia face approximately twice the lifetime risk of heart disease and stroke compared to the general female population. Researchers suggest that preeclampsia, heart disease, and stroke may share underlying risk factors. Women with pre-existing conditions such as obesity, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease are at higher risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. While preeclampsia is most common in a woman's first pregnancy, it can occur in subsequent pregnancies, particularly in women with pre-existing health issues.

Inheritance:

Many preeclampsia cases occur in women with no family history of the condition, and these cases appear to be non-inherited. However, some families exhibit a strong family history of the disorder, though the inheritance pattern remains unclear. The predisposition to develop preeclampsia can be influenced by genetic variations inherited from either parent, and genetic variations present in the unborn child may also contribute.