Preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are common vascular related pregnancy syndromes of unknown cause. Both preeclampsia and IUGR are responsible for a significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Preeclampsia affects approximately 2.5-3.0% of women. It is diagnosed by de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation and potentially progresses to a multisystemic syndrome characterized by increased vasoconstriction, metabolic changes, endothelial dysfunction, activation of coagulation cascade and inflammatory response. Eclampsia is considered an end stage of the syndrome characterized by generalized seizures. In addition to the maternal clinical symptoms, in approximately one third of the preeclamptic pregnancies fetal growth is impaired suggested as a consequence of impaired placental function. Impaired fetal growth related to placental dysfunction can also occur in absence of a maternal clinical syndrome. In this thesis we focus on the phenotype of impaired intrauterine growth defined by placental dysfunction excluding impaired intrauterine growth caused by e.g. smoking, infection and congenital diseases.

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The studies described in this thesis were supported by an Erasmus MC Grant. Additional support was provided by a Stipendium of the NVOG, Werkgroep Perinatologie en Maternale ziekten. The Genetic Research in Isolated Populations (GRIP) is supported by the Centre for Medical Systems Biology (CMSB).
E.A.P. Steegers (Eric) , C.M. van Duijn (Cornelia) , B.A. Oostra (Ben)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/31258
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Berends, A. (2008, November 19). Vascular related pregnancy complications: genetics and remote cardiovascular risk. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/31258