Preeclampsia Causes & Risks

Causes

The cause of pre-eclampsia is unknown. Possible causes may include:

Genetic factors
Dietary factors
Problems with blood vessel function
An autoimmune disorder (the immune system turns against the body)

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Risk factors include:

First pregnancy
Family history (eg, mother and sister also had the condition)
Multiple births
Inadequate prenatal care
Pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy
Obesity
Age: under 18 years old or older than 40 years old
Race: black
Chronic high blood pressure
Kidney disease
Overweight or obese *²

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