Objective: To assess obstetric outcomes in women in their second pregnancy
after preeclampsia in the first pregnancy.
Methods: We utilized population-based birth registry data of Kuopio Univers
ity Hospital to investigate pregnancy outcome measures in 123 non-preeclamp
tic parous women with prior preeclampsia and 21 women with repeat preeclamp
sia in their second pregnancy. The general obstetric population was used as
a reference group in logistic regression.
Results: The development of recurrent preeclampsia in 15% of women is assoc
iated with adverse neonatal outcomes. A first preeclamptic pregnancy may of
fer protection against disease recurrence and a history of preeclampsia has
no significant effects on birth weight, fetal distress, or prematurity rat
e. However, they have a higher rate of pregnancy-induced hypertension and a
bdominal deliveries, and, therefore, a greater proportion of newborns are r
eferred to neonatal units for observation.
Conclusions: Women in whom preeclampsia does not recur have good obstetric
outcomes in their second delivery, almost comparable to that in the general
obstetric population. A genetic susceptibility to preeclampsia alone has m
inor effects on pregnancy outcome in a second pregnancy if the disease does
not recur.