Pre-Eclampsia

Preeclampsia (also referred to as ‘PIH’ = pregnancy-induced hyertension) is a common disease of women, especially during their first pregnancy. It is characterized by hypertension, edema, and proteinuria. If untreated it may result in eclampsia (convulsions), even death. Frequently this leads to premature termination of a pregnancy. The cause of PIH is unknown but has led to much speculation. Its common result is reduced weight of the fetus (“IUGR”), placental infarcts and occasionally abruptio placentae (detachment from the uterus by retroplacental bleeding). Frequently there is inadequate transformation of the decidual spiral arterioles (lack of fibrinoid change with remodeling by extracellular trophoblast), a process known as ‘atherosis’. While infarcts of the placenta are frequently found in chimpanzee placentas, it is unknown whether the complete picture of PIH exists in apes.