Preeclampsia is a condition, associated with human pregnancy which gives rise to ‘hypertension’ and ‘proteinuria’. Despite decades of preventive efforts, it causes the highest number of maternal deaths and is the leading cause of prenatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It also contributes significantly to pre-term delivery and still births and death in new born.Researchers at ‘Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center’ during one of their studies found that during ‘Preeclampsia’ there is a rise in the level of a peptide that affects the blood pressure in certain parts of placenta, a tissue which links the mother and the fetus. They have tried to find out how this disorder happens.

During the study, it was found that during the preeclampsia, levels of ‘Angiotensin-II’ is increased, almost doubled in the ‘chorionic villi’, part of the placenta which is the only link between the mother and the child and helps in providing food and oxygen.

‘Angiotensin-II’ is a hormone which narrows the blood vessels and causes blood pressure to rise. It is a part of the ‘Renin Angiotensin System (RAS)’ which controls the pressure of blood in the body. That is the main reason that it was found playing a contributory role in preeclampsia.

So keeping all the findings in mind, the researchers concluded that’ Angiotensin-II’ may restrict the fetal vessels lying within the ‘chorionic villi’, which raises blood pressure, lowers levels of oxygen and nutrient flow to the baby and also plays a role in lower birth weight. It is also associated with other complications rising out of preeclampsia.

The study was done among 21 women with preeclampsia and 25 women without the disorder. After delivery, the analysis done on certain portions from the center of the placenta brought the above things in light.

The similar conditions happen in pregnant women by the increased levels of several hormones due to the estrogens, which also boost Ang II in the blood. However in spite of the increase of ‘Angiotensin-II’, women are not seen to develop preeclampsia.

This study is one of its own kinds as it not only demonstrated the presence of the three peptides involved in the RAS in the chorionic villi of both normal and preeclampsia women but it is also the first study to prove that there is increase in the ‘Angiotensin-II’ during preeclampsia.

This study may not have put light on all the aspects of this disorder, however still paves ways towards finding newer and more effective ways of treating preeclampsia. This disorder needs to be explored more as right now there is no treatment and cure specified for this and it still causes immature births. ACE inhibitor drugs, currently used to lower ‘Angiotensin-II’ in non-pregnant women with hypertension, are rendered useless for the pregnant women as they cannot be administered in pregnancy.