Family history of hypertension as an important risk factor for the development of severe preeclampsia

Abstract Objective. To determine the risk of preeclampsia in a population with respect to maternal and sister histories of chronic hypertension, preeclampsia and eclampsia. Design. A case-control study of severe preeclampsia. Setting. Maternity hospital in Natal, Brazil. Participants. A total of 412 subjects were enrolled, 148 cases and 264 controls. Main outcome measures. Personal and familial histories of hypertensive disorders. Odds ratio estimates of preeclampsia with respect to family history of hypertensive diseases. Results. Women with a history of hypertensive disorders were more frequent in the case group (p = 0.001). Women whose mothers had a history of hypertension (p = 0.003), preeclampsia (p = 0.007) or eclampsia (p = 0.038) were at increased risk of severe preeclampsia. The risk of preeclampsia was greater when the woman had a sister with a history of hypertension (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.60-4.21, p