Once upon a time in nephrology - Episode 3: A brief history of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a maternal syndrome of placental origin that complicates 2–5% of pregnancies. It remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide and is a major contributor to fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. It is classically defined, after 20 weeks of gestation, by the combination of arterial hypertension and proteinuria ≥ 0.3 g/24 h. In its severe form, it may induce endothelial injury consistent with thrombotic microangiopathy in the liver and kidneys and can lead to fatal posterior cerebral edema. For many years, preeclampsia was referred to as the “disease of theories,” because the link between this systemic maternal syndrome and the placenta remained elusive until 2003—nearly three centuries after François Mauriceau, surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris and obstetrician to the court of Louis XIV, first suggested such a connection.