Grant: Operating Grant

Pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy complicate about 10% of pregnancies and can lead to severe complications including stroke, kidney failure and eclampsia for the mother; and fetal growth restriction and stillbirth for the baby. The hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), pre-eclampsia being the most common, are among the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Canada, they are the most common cause of planned pre-term delivery, which can cause serious health issues such as neurological impairments, for the baby later in life. The fullPIERS model was developed to predict the risks of developing complications for women with pre-eclampsia, so as to aid clinicians in managing such pregnancies. In order for the fullPIERS model to be introduced into clinical practice, it is necessary to assess its predictive ability in a similar population cohort other than the one in which it was developed in (external validation) and to improve the model where possible. Successfully validating the fullPIERS model, and expanding it to include a new clinical test and implementing it into routine clinical care will inform and guide clinical decisions, thereby aiding appropriate allocation of care and resources to the patients and contributing in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from pre-eclampsia.