Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy)
Basics
Description
- Preeclampsia: A disorder of pregnancy occurring after 20 weeks’ gestation characterized by new-onset hypertension (HTN), new-onset proteinuria, ± impaired organ function
- Eclampsia: new-onset grand mal seizure activity with no history of underlying neurologic disease
- Most postpartum cases of preeclampsia and eclampsia occur within 48 hours of delivery but can occur up to 6 weeks postpartum.
Epidemiology
Incidence
Preeclampsia occurs in 5–8% of all pregnancies.
Prevalence
- Predominant age
- Most in younger women, primiparous women
- Older (aged >40 years) patients with preeclampsia have 4 times the incidence of seizures compared with patients in their 20s.
- 40% of eclamptic seizures occur before delivery; 16% occur >48 hours after delivery.
- Eclampsia is a main cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity (2–8% of all pregnancies).
Etiology and Pathophysiology
- Cause of preeclampsia is becoming clearer.
- Genetic predisposition and abnormal placental implantation
- Angiogenic factors
- Vascular endothelial damage and oxidative stress
- Systemic disorders in eclampsia include the following:
- Cardiovascular: generalized vasospasm
- Hematologic: decreased plasma volume, increased blood viscosity, hemoconcentration, coagulopathy
- Renal: decreased glomerular filtration rate
- Hepatic: periportal necrosis, hepatocellular damage, subcapsular hematoma
- CNS: cerebral vasospasm and ischemia, cerebral edema, cerebral hemorrhage
Genetics
2 to 4 times increased risk in pregnant women with family history of preeclampsia
Risk Factors
- Nulliparity
- Age >40 years
- Family history of preeclampsia
- Maternal medical problems: diabetes, chronic HTN, chronic renal disease, obesity, systemic lupus erythematosus
- Multiple gestation
- Prior pregnancy with preeclampsia
- In vitro fertilization
General Prevention
- Adequate prenatal care
- Good control of preexisting HTN
- Low-dose aspirin (ASA) (60 to 80 mg): ASA started early after 12 weeks’ gestational age (GA) may lower the risk of developing preeclampsia and the rate of preterm delivery and neonatal death in moderate- to high-risk patients (1)[C] (see “Risk Factors” as mentioned earlier).
- Low-dose calcium supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk and severity of preeclampsia in calcium-deficient populations.
Commonly Associated Conditions
Abruptio placentae, placental insufficiency, fetal growth restriction, preterm delivery, fetal demise maternal seizures (eclampsia), maternal pulmonary edema, maternal liver/kidney failure, or maternal death
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy)." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 33rd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688442/all/Preeclampsia_and_Eclampsia__Toxemia_of_Pregnancy_.
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy). In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688442/all/Preeclampsia_and_Eclampsia__Toxemia_of_Pregnancy_. Accessed November 8, 2024.
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy). (2025). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (33rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688442/all/Preeclampsia_and_Eclampsia__Toxemia_of_Pregnancy_
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (Toxemia of Pregnancy) [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2024 November 08]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688442/all/Preeclampsia_and_Eclampsia__Toxemia_of_Pregnancy_.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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ED - Baldor,Robert A,
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BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
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