Relationship between nulliparity and preeclampsia may be explained by altered circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1

Abstract

Nulliparous pregnancies had higher circulating sFlt1 levels and sFlt1/PlGF ratios than multiparous pregnancies, suggesting an association with an angiogenic imbalance. Taken together with the pathogenic role of anti-angiogenic factors in preeclampsia, our data may be one explanation for the epidemiological observation that nulliparity is a risk factor for the development of preeclampsia.