Who is affected by pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy
High blood pressure develops in about 10% of all pregnancies in the United States.1 Of pregnant women with chronic high blood pressure, nearly 1 in 4 develops pre-eclampsia.2
Pre-eclampsia occurs in about 5% of all pregnancies.3 In some populations and environments, higher rates have been reported. Pre-eclampsia most often affects women who:
- Are pregnant for the first time or have not been pregnant for 10 or more years.4
- Have a family history of pre-eclampsia. Your risk is greatest if either you or your partner were born from a pregnancy affected by pre-eclampsia.5
- Are younger than 21 or older than 35.
- Are more than 20% over their ideal body weight. If your weight is within this range, the higher your pre-pregnancy body mass index, the greater your pre-eclampsia risk.6
- Do not see their doctors for prenatal checkups regularly.
Less than 1% of women with pre-eclampsia develop seizures (eclampsia).7
| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH Carrie Henley | Last Updated: March 15, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Gregory A L Davies, MD, FRCSC, FACOG - Maternal-Fetal Medicine William Gilbert, MD - Perinatology | |
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