Updates on Screening, Prevention, Treatment, and Genetic Markers for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious disorder of pregnancy that occurs by 24 weeks of gestation or later and can occur in up to 5% of all pregnancies.  Maternal weight, advancing maternal age, nulliparity, a previous pregnancy with preeclampsia, and insulin-dependent diabetes are just some of the predisposing factors for developing preeclampsia.  Over the past few years, development in screening, prevention, and treatment for preeclampsia have occurred and genetic studies are just now providing new insights into the etiology of this disorder. A Q&A feature in the December 2018 issue of Clinical Chemistry asked three experts with different roles in this field to discuss recent advances and ongoing challenges in preeclampsia research and implementation.