[Epidemiology of vascular placental disease].

Abstract

Placental vascular diseases consist of obstetrical pathologies assumed to be linked to placental ischemia. Preeclampsia, defined as the association of hypertension, proteinuria and edema, occur in 3% of deliveries, in a non-selected population. Eclampsia, defined as the occurrence of convulsions in preeclamptic women, occur in 5 per 10,000 deliveries. Risk factors for preeclampsia are: preeclampsia in the previous pregnancy, maternal age <20 years, multiple pregnancies, and nulliparity. Placenta abruption, defined as premature separation of the placenta before delivery, occur in 5 to 15 per 1,000 deliveries. Risk factors are smoking, infertility, and preeclampsia or placental abruption in the previous pregnancy. Stillbirth, defined as fetal death between 24 weeks of gestation and delivery, occur in 1.5 per 1,000 deliveries, with a higher frequency in case of placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction or preeclampsia.