Preeclampsia is a medical complication that can occur only in pregnancy. Experts still don’t know what exactly causes preeclampsia during pregnancy, though studies in the past decade have shown some breakthroughs that may bring us closer to the answer.
Causes Of Preeclampsia
During pregnancy, a woman’s body works for two. To be able to provide an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, her blood volume increase, and new blood vessels develop.
But, if the body does not react to the pregnancy well, damages, such as blood vessel defects may occur. That leads to improper placenta development, which is generally considered to be one of the main causes of preeclampsia. But specific causes of preeclampsia are unfortunately not yet well understood.
Although they do not fully understand the cause of preeclampsia, doctors know how to treat the disease! If it is detected soon enough, it is often very well managed, without any consequences for the mother and baby.
The best way to detect preeclampsia in its early stages is by regularly attending your prenatal checkups. Your health care provider will measure your blood pressure and conduct additional urine and blood tests if needed.
Preeclampsia is a sneaky disease, which occurs as a combination of several different factors. Experts are familiar with the risk factors and potential physical causes of preeclampsia. However, they do not understand the exact sequence, which triggers the development of the disease.
In other words, experts cannot predict which women will develop preeclampsia yet. But, given the current knowledge and statistic data, they do know which women are at higher risk, so they can monitor their pregnancy more closely.
What causes preeclampsia during pregnancy?
There are numerous theories about what is the initial cause of preeclampsia, however, it is still generally accepted that there is a problem with the development of the placenta.
1. Abnormal placenta and blood vessel formation and development:
According to this theory, the placenta doesn’t work the way it should because of improper blood vessel development.
When a woman becomes pregnant, new blood vessels, which are responsible for sending enough blood to the placenta, begin to develop. But in women with preeclampsia, blood vessels constrict instead of widening. Because they are narrower and respond differently to hormonal signals, the amount of blood that can flow through them is limited.
That leads to lower blood circulation in the placenta, which cannot grow and develop properly. As a result, it provides less oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, which may cause a lag in the baby’s growth.
Similar is happening with the pregnant woman. Narrowed blood vessels decreased the blood supply into her organs, causing hypertension (high blood pressure). If a pregnant woman’s organs are also affected, that manifests in other signs and symptoms of preeclampsia, such as kidney or liver problems, etc.
For instance, insufficient blood supply to the kidneys results in the increased release of proteins in the urine. Therefore, protein urine tests are one of the most used analyses for catching preeclampsia in its early stages.
2. Excessive maternal inflammatory response to pregnancy:
The mother’s immune system mistakenly recognizes the baby in the uterus as an intruder. More precisely, the immune system recognizes the part of the baby that carries the father’s genes as a threat to the mother.
The immune system considers the fetus as an intruder who is stealing nutrients from the pregnant woman. Such body reaction may damage blood vessels, leading to a poorer placenta’s blood supply.
3. Inheritance and genetic causes for preeclampsia:
According to this theory, preeclampsia is genetically determined. Researchers are studying whether variations in genes involved in blood vessels and placental development affect the risk of developing preeclampsia or its severity.
The fetus carries genes from both parents. So, if the preeclampsia is genetically determined, the history of the condition on both sides of the family may raise the incidence of the disease.
But the results are still inconclusive. Preeclampsia occurs in many pregnant women with no known family history of the disorder, indicating the condition is not inherited. But on the other hand, there are families with a strong family history of preeclampsia, which suggests just the opposite.
4. Other potential causes of preeclampsia:
- The hormonal imbalance, which may disturb the maintenance of blood vessels diameter, causing improper blood flow.
- Blood vessel injuries, which are caused by excessive blood flow or pressure.
- Nutritional factors, such as calcium deficiency may lead to increased blood pressure. Calcium maintains blood vessels and normal blood pressure in the body.
Which pregnant women are more at risk?
- A pregnant woman with twins or higher multiples is at a higher risk of developing preeclampsia.
- Pregnant women who are older than 35 or younger than 20 are considered at a greater risk.
- Obesity leads to conditions such as hypertension and other cardiovascular problems, which may cause preeclampsia.
- Preexisting health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, and kidney disease, may also cause preeclampsia.
- Socioeconomic status is associated with nutritional quality and environmental factors. Living in a polluted area or poor diet may lead to mineral and vitamin deficiency, resulting in health problems that may cause preeclampsia.
- Ethnicity has also been associated with preeclampsia risk. Black women are considered at a higher risk for developing preeclampsia.
RELATED: Risk factors for developing Preeclampsia
Bottom line
It is still not fully understood what causes preeclampsia in pregnancy. Experts believe that mostly abnormal placenta development and improper blood vessel formation are precursors for this condition.
But they do not fully know what factors or combinations of them lead to such improper development. So the cause of preeclampsia remains inconclusive.
Proper and regular prenatal care is the best way to detect and treat preeclampsia! Catching it in its early stages promises a high chance for a good pregnancy outcome, without consequences for mother or child.