Adding fuel to the flames in preeclampsia: the platelet connection

Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially devastating and surprisingly common disease of pregnancy that, if left unmanaged, can result in maternal or fetal/neonatal mortality. Indeed, PE is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality and complicates between 2% and 8% of pregnancies globally [ [1] Al-Jameil N. Aziz Khan F. Fareed Khan M. Tabassum H. A brief overview of preeclampsia. J Clin Med Res. 2014; 6: 1-7 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar , [2] Thaddeus S. Maine D. Too far to walk: maternal mortality in context. Soc Sci Med. 1994; 38: 1091-1110 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1787) Google Scholar ]. The term “eclampsia” has its origins in the Greek language, meaning “lightning,” which perhaps describes the impact of this disease, with early descriptions of this attributed to Hippocrates in approximately 400 BCE. Therefore, PE is a long-recognized condition, yet we still struggle to explain its etiology.