Cerebrovascular Pathophysiology in Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes are, in addition to eclamptic fits, among the most important and feared causes of maternal morbidity and mortality in women with preeclampsia. Increasing evidence now indicates that both preeclampsia and eclampsia can impact long-term maternal cerebrovascular health. This chapter includes updated clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic knowledge since the last edition, and adds important new sections on “Stroke in Pregnancy and Preeclampsia” and “Neurocognitive Functioning.” Future basic, translational, and clinical research are urgently needed to improve our mechanistic understanding of how preeclampsia and eclampsia damage the maternal brain, hopefully leading to improved prevention and treatment strategies. The important contributions of previous authors of this chapter, Gerda G. Zeeman and F. Gary Cunningham, are greatly appreciated.