Low birth weight is also believed to be related to other conditions associated with high blood pressure, such as heart disease. Spotting pre-eclampsia early on can be difficult, despite routine monitoring of blood pressure, and knowing who might be more at risk would be useful.
Dr Karin Zetterstrom, study leader and gynaecologist and obstetrician at Orebro University Hospital in Sweden, said pre-eclampsia could be dangerous to a mother and baby in many ways.
Professor Andrew Shennan, professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at King's College London and spokesperson for the baby charity Tommy's, agreed with the researchers recommendations for identifying and monitoring those at increased risk. He said finding women at risk of the severe form of the condition was key.
"One of the really important things is distinguishing between early (commonly severe) and late onset pre-eclampsia because early onset is where the problems lie. But paradoxically we don't see people very often at that crucial time and that's the time we need increased surveillance."
Professor Phil Steer, BJOG editor-in-chief, said: "What this research demonstrates is the need for careful and detailed history taking when a woman is first seen in pregnancy.
"If we know that the likelihood of a woman developing severe pre-eclampsia is high, increased surveillance during pregnancy and early appropriate management will help to safeguard the health of both mother and baby."
February 2007
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