Prognosis

Pre-eclampsia is a self-limiting condition of pregnancy that usually resolves once the placenta has been delivered, although it may persist for a few days post delivery. There are few long-term sequelae; however, there are some long-term disease associations.

Disease course

The course of pre-eclampsia is altered by treatment, and the condition can be controlled easily in most pregnant women, usually within a few hours of starting treatment. Once controlled, the length of the disease depends on when delivery is decided. After delivery, the condition normally settles within 2 to 4 days; however, some women have hypertensive problems and proteinuria for some weeks after.

Recurrence

The overall risk of recurrence of pre-eclampsia in subsequent pregnancies is approximately 16%.[16] For women who gave birth at 28 to 34 weeks, risk of recurrence in future pregnancies is about 33%; if birth was at 34 to 37 weeks, risk is approximately 23%.[16]

Long-term disease associations

Women with pre-eclampsia have an increased long-term risk of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and renal disease.[99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109]​​ However, there is currently a lack of understanding of pre-eclampsia subtypes, which include differences in the timing of onset in pregnancy, the presence of severe features and the association of intrauterine growth restriction. These features may have different long-term implications for cardiovascular risk.[110]

There are no clear guidelines on the long-term follow-up of women who have had pre-eclampsia. However, regular assessment of their risk for cardiovascular disease, including previous pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy alongside body mass index and other lifestyle factors, provides an opportunity for prevention interventions.[16][111]

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