What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Pre-eclampsia?
Experts believe that a problem with the placenta causes pre-eclampsia. However, the exact cause of pre-eclampsia is not known.
Possible causes of pre-eclampsia include-
- Impaired blood flow to the placenta or uterus
- Damage to the blood vessels of the placenta
- Poor nutrition
- Autoimmune diseases
- High body fat
- Genes
Risk factors for pre-eclampsia include-
- First pregnancy
- If pregnant mother is younger than 18 years or older than 40 years of age.
- Prolonged spacing between two pregnancies.
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- Low socioeconomic status.
- Multiple gestations such as twins or triplets.
- Molar pregnancy, an abnormal condition that mimics a normal pregnancy but is actually a tumor.
- History of chronic high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disorder, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE.
- Family history of pre-eclampsia (i.e., a mother, sister, grandmother or aunt who had the disorder).
- Women with higher-than-average body fat.
- New paternity - Every pregnancy with a new partner increases the risk of pre-eclampsia over a second or third pregnancy with the same partner.
