Implantationsst?rungen, Pr?eklampsie und intrauterine Wachstumsrestriktion

Preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are major pregnancy pathologies and the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Interestingly the etiologies of both syndromes are still unclear which is why a large number of hypotheses have been developed. The joint occurrence of both syndromes in a single pregnancy has deleterious effects on both mother and child. Studies dealing with such severe cases of preeclampsia with associated IUGR have led to the development of hypotheses attempting to explain all clinical and morphological alterations in a single hypothesis. This in turn has resulted in the general misconception that a failure in invasion of the placental trophoblast is directly linked with the etiology of preeclampsia. However, recent progress in the identification of new biomarkers to predict preeclampsia has changed views on the etiology of preeclampsia. It has become clear that a failure in trophoblast invasion is directly linked to IUGR while a defect of the villous trophoblast precedes preeclampsia.