ABSTRACT
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) affect 4" to 9" of women and are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. HDP include preeclampsia (PE), gestational hypertension, PE superimposed on preexisting (chronic) hypertension, and chronic hypertension. Although there are several classification systems, PE generally refers to the onset of hypertension with either proteinuria and/or end organ dysfunction in a previously normotensive woman. Maternal morbidity from PE may be significant, including stroke, renal failure, eclampsia, or pulmonary edema. PE is a multisystem syndrome with multifactorial causation. Reduced uterine perfusion and/or certain disease states are associated with the maternal and placental abnormalities. Maternal, placental, and fetal mechanisms associated with inflammation, immune responses, and metabolism may have a role in the development of HDP, and these may be influenced by nutrition. Obesity, defined as a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2, has been identified as a major risk factor for the development of HDP.
