ABSTRACT
Pre-eclampsia may be described as an unpredictable and progressive condition with the potential to cause multi-organ dysfunction and failure that can be detrimental to the health of both the woman and her fetus. There is a suggestion that there may be two syndromes associated with pre-eclampsia, a maternal syndrome (hypertension and proteinuria with or without multi-organ involvement) and a fetal syndrome (intrauterine growth restriction [IUGR] and other fetal compromise).4 In fact, although the definition (see Box 5.1) appears clear, there are many presentations of pre-eclampsia, and presenting signs and symptoms may not always fit the classical definitions.
