Regional differences in the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in relation to the risk factors for coronary artery disease in women in Finland

AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in Southern, Eastern, and Northern Finland, and the relationship between history of pre-eclampsia and maternal coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: Women aged 25-64 years, who participated in a cross-sectional population survey and had been pregnant (n=3650), were studied. The proportion of women who had ever had pre-eclampsia was lower in Southern (7.9%) compared with Northern Finland (13.9%) (P=0.001), but did not differ from Eastern Finland (11.1%). In the logistic regression model, the age-adjusted prevalence of pre-eclampsia was 1.92-fold in Northern (95% CI: 1.46-2.53, P<0.001) and 1.47-fold in Eastern Finland (95% CI: 1.11-1.96, P=0.008) compared with Southern Finland. The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.70 (95% CI: 1.21-2.38, P=0.002) and 1.16 (95% CI: 0.82-1.64, P=0.40), respectively, when adjusted for age at first birth, current age, parity, body mass index (BMI), increased blood cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance, CAD, and mother's myocardial infarction. History of pre-eclampsia was associated with increased blood cholesterol, higher current BMI and blood pressure, and higher current prevalence of hypertension, diabetes/impaired glucose tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-eclampsia is most prevalent in the Northern part of Finland and could only be partly explained by higher prevalence of CAD risk factors.