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Pathophysiology of Preeclampsia

Understanding Preeclampsia Made Simple

1. The Setup: Risk Factors

Some women have conditions that make them more likely to get preeclampsia:

  • Genetics: Some genes may increase the risk.

  • Pre-existing conditions: High blood pressure, diabetes, or autoimmune diseases can weaken the body's ability to handle pregnancy.

These set the stage for problems in the pregnancy.

2. Placental Development Problems (Early Stage)

  • When? Around weeks 10–20 of pregnancy.

  • What happens?

    • In normal pregnancies, the mother's blood vessels feeding the placenta (called spiral arteries) open wide for better blood flow.

    • In preeclampsia, these arteries don’t fully open. This is called shallow placentation.

    • Poor blood flow causes low oxygen (hypoxia) in the placenta, creating stress.

3. The Placenta Sends Distress Signals

  • The stressed placenta releases substances into the mother’s blood. These include:

    • sFlt-1: Blocks good blood vessel growth signals (VEGF and PlGF), making blood vessels weaker.

    • Inflammatory signals: Trigger the immune system, causing damage to the mother’s blood vessels.

4. Effects on the Mother (Late Stage)

  • When? Usually in the third trimester.

  • What happens?

    • The mother’s blood vessels get stiff and leaky, leading to:

      • High blood pressure: Blood vessels tighten up, increasing pressure.

      • Protein in the urine: Damaged kidney filters allow protein to leak out.

      • Swelling (edema): Fluid leaks into tissues.

      • HELLP Syndrome: Problems like liver damage and low platelets due to tiny blood clots forming in vessels.

      • Brain issues: Severe cases can cause brain swelling and seizures (eclampsia).

5. Why Preeclampsia Happens

  • It’s a two-stage process:

    1. Early stage: Poor placental blood flow (triggered by shallow placentation).

    2. Late stage: The placenta’s distress signals harm the mother’s blood vessels, causing symptoms like high blood pressure and proteinuria.

6. What Can Be Done?

  • Prevention: Low-dose aspirin for women at high risk.

  • Monitoring: Keep a close eye on blood pressure, protein in the urine, and other signs.

  • Delivery: The only cure is delivering the baby and placenta, especially if severe.


 

More advance

 

Below is a restructured, step-by-step explanation of the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, using standard concepts from current obstetrical literature. This focuses only on the pathophysiology and is presented entirely in English.

 

1. Genetic and Pre-Existing Risk Factors

  • Genetic Susceptibility: Certain genetic polymorphisms (for example, FLT1 SNPs) and chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., trisomy 13) have been linked to a higher risk of preeclampsia. These genetic factors can influence placental development and the maternal response to pregnancy.

  • Pre-Existing Conditions: Chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune conditions such as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome can predispose to abnormal placentation and endothelial dysfunction.

These risk factors and genetic predispositions set the stage for improper placental development and an exaggerated maternal inflammatory response.


 

2. Abnormal (Shallow) Placentation: Stage I

Timing

  • The crucial events happen early, during the first and second trimesters (roughly weeks 10–20).

Pathologic Process

  • Shallow Placentation: In normal pregnancy, spiral arteries in the uterus undergo extensive remodeling, becoming low-resistance vessels that supply the growing placenta. In preeclampsia, this remodeling is incomplete (“shallow”).

  • Reduced Placental Perfusion: Because the spiral arteries do not dilate sufficiently, blood flow to the placenta is compromised, causing placental ischemia and oxidative stress.

  • Immunological Factors: The maternal immune system (including decidual Natural Killer cells and T-cell subtypes) may fail to properly recognize and support the developing placenta, further contributing to inadequate remodeling of the uterine vessels.

Consequences

  • Placental Hypoxia/Ischemia: Leads to the release of soluble mediators and anti-angiogenic factors into the maternal circulation.

  • Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Due to poor placental perfusion, the fetus may receive insufficient oxygen and nutrients, contributing to fetal growth restriction in some cases.


 

3. Maternal Endothelial Dysfunction: Stage II

Timing

  • Clinical manifestations typically appear in the third trimester, once the placenta has become significantly hypoperfused and is releasing large quantities of circulating factors.

Anti-Angiogenic Factors and Cytokines

  • sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1): Binds and sequesters VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) and PlGF (Placental Growth Factor), reducing their availability to maintain normal endothelial function.

  • sEng (soluble Endoglin): Interferes with TGF-β signaling pathways, further promoting endothelial cell dysfunction.

  • Other Pro-Inflammatory Mediators: Obesity, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and AT1 autoantibodies (antibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 receptor) also contribute to systemic inflammation and vascular reactivity.

Systemic Effects

  • Generalized Endothelial Dysfunction: The maternal vasculature becomes hyperreactive and prone to spasm, increasing peripheral resistance and leading to hypertension.

  • Capillary Leak: Damaged endothelium becomes permeable, leading to edema and proteinuria.

  • Renal Involvement: “Glomerular endotheliosis” in the kidneys impairs filtration, manifesting as proteinuria.

  • Coagulation Abnormalities (HELLP): Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelets syndrome can occur due to microangiopathic processes within the circulation.

  • Cerebral Edema and Irritability: Can lead to seizures (eclampsia) if severe.

  • Increased Angiotensin II Sensitivity: Enhanced vasoconstrictor response contributes to elevated blood pressure.


 

4. Clinical Manifestations

  • Hypertension: Maternal blood pressure rises (≥140/90 mmHg in mild cases; ≥160/110 mmHg in severe).

  • Proteinuria: A hallmark sign due to glomerular endotheliosis.

  • Other Organs Affected: Liver (elevated enzymes, RUQ pain), brain (headaches, visual disturbances), hematologic system (low platelets, hemolysis).

Ultimately, these processes culminate in the syndrome we label preeclampsia, which can progress to severe preeclampsia, eclampsia, or HELLP syndrome if unrecognized or unmanaged.


 

Key Takeaways

  1. Two-Stage Model:

    • Stage I: Abnormal placentation and reduced placental perfusion (placental “trigger”).

    • Stage II: Systemic maternal endothelial dysfunction (clinical manifestations).

  2. Central Role of the Placenta: Placental ischemia drives the release of factors that injure maternal endothelium.

  3. Endothelial Dysfunction: Results in widespread vasospasm, increased vascular permeability, and organ-specific complications.

  4. Complex Interplay: Genetic predisposition, immunologic dysregulation, and pre-existing maternal conditions all contribute to disease severity and onset.

By understanding these pathophysiological mechanisms, clinicians can better identify at-risk pregnancies, implement preventive measures (e.g., low-dose aspirin in high-risk individuals), and tailor timely interventions to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity.

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Message for International Readers
Understanding My Medical Context in Thailand

By Uniqcret, M.D.
 

Dear readers,
 

My name is Uniqcret, which is my pen name used in all my medical writings. I am a Doctor of Medicine trained and currently practicing in Thailand, a developing country in Southeast Asia.
 

The medical training environment in Thailand is vastly different from that of Western countries. Our education system heavily emphasizes rote memorization—those who excel are often seen as "walking encyclopedias." Unfortunately, those who question, critically analyze, or solve problems efficiently may sometimes be overlooked, despite having exceptional clinical thinking skills.
 

One key difference is in patient access. In Thailand, patients can walk directly into tertiary care centers without going through a referral system or primary care gatekeeping. This creates an intense clinical workload for doctors and trainees alike. From the age of 20, I was already seeing real patients, performing procedures, and assisting in operations—not in simulations, but in live clinical situations. Long work hours, sometimes exceeding 48 hours without sleep, are considered normal for young doctors here.
 

Many of the insights I share are based on first-hand experiences, feedback from attending physicians, and real clinical practice. In our culture, teaching often involves intense feedback—what we call "โดนซอย" (being sliced). While this may seem harsh, it pushes us to grow stronger, think faster, and become more capable under pressure. You could say our motto is “no pain, no gain.”
 

Please be aware that while my articles may contain clinically accurate insights, they are not always suitable as direct references for academic papers, as some content is generated through AI support based on my knowledge and clinical exposure. If you wish to use the content for academic or clinical reference, I strongly recommend cross-verifying it with high-quality sources or databases. You may even copy sections of my articles into AI tools or search engines to find original sources for further reading.
 

I believe that my knowledge—built from real clinical experience in a high-intensity, under-resourced healthcare system—can offer valuable perspectives that are hard to find in textbooks. Whether you're a student, clinician, or educator, I hope my content adds insight and value to your journey.
 

With respect and solidarity,

Uniqcret, M.D.

Physician | Educator | Writer
Thailand

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