Maternal arterial stiffness in women who subsequently develop pre-eclampsia.

Background/objectives: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is associated with profound changes in the maternal cardiovascular system. The aim of the present study was to assess whether alterations in the maternal arterial stiffness precede the onset of PE in at risk women.

Methodology/principal Findings: This was a cross sectional study involving 70 pregnant women with normal and 70 women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler examination at 22-24 weeks of gestation.

Maternal arterial stiffness in pregnancies affected by preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by an aberrant maternal cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy and increased cardiovascular risk later on in life. The aim of this study was to compare the maternal wave reflections and arterial stiffness in women with established PE and those with normotensive pregnancies, after systematic adjustment for known confounders. This was a cross-sectional study involving 69 normotensive, pregnant women and 54 women with established PE.