f left untreated, pre-eclampsia is dangerous to both mother and child. Pre-eclampsia is often associated with small babies or premature births, and in the most severe of cases, it can result in a still birth. In the mother, the disease can lead to fits and convulsions, bleeding and damage to the liver. In the UK, the death of the mother is very rare, largely because of the country's good ante-natal care services. However, in countries with less well-developed ante-natal care, the number of women who die from pre-eclampsia is much higher. Worldwide, it leads to the deaths of around 40,000 women a year. It's in the genes? Pre-eclampsia runs in families. A woman whose mother or sister has had pre-eclampsia is at least three times more likely to develop the disease. This is why we feel that genes may contribute to the development of the disease. Interesting links There are several online resources where you can find out more about pre-eclampsia and its effects. • Apec, the Action on Pre-Eclampsia homepage • British Heart Foundation • PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine in the US It is important to look at both the mother and the baby's genes. The baby also inherits genes from the father, which may affect the risk of pre-eclampsia. In this study, we are looking at both the mother and the baby's genes. We set out in 2000 with the objective of recruiting 1,000 families affected by pre-eclampsia. We have collected DNA from those families, and we are investigating some of the most likely genes which may be associated with pre-eclampsia. What we hope to achieve There are several outcomes from this study. Once we find a gene that is connected in some way with pre-eclampsia, we can identify in greater detail what that particular gene does, what it makes, and determine when that gene is active during the pregnancy. We can determine whether it is active in the mother, the baby, the placenta, or both. Once we find out what it does, it gives us an insight into how the disease is caused. Once the cause has been found, we can develop logical ways of preventing the disease. Our number one goal is to find the gene responsible for pre-eclampsia, which will allow us to find out about the mechanisms of the gene. Once we understand the mechanisms, we are in a better position to prevent and treat it. The other hope is that by identifying pre-eclampsia genes, it may be possible to identify at an early stage the women who are at the highest risk of developing pre-eclampsia so that we can target ante-natal care at them. This is important in areas where ante-natal care is limited, particularly in the developing world. This study is funded by the British Heart Foundation.

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