Researchers conducted a large genetic study to see if specific variants in a gene called APOL1, carried by the mother, were linked to a higher risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy. Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure. The study included over 5,000 pregnant women who self-reported as Black or White, including 745 Black women who had preeclampsia.
The main finding was that having two of these APOL1 risk variants did not increase a woman's chance of getting preeclampsia. This was true for women of both Black and White self-reported ethnicity. The study also found no link between these gene variants and other related outcomes, like early or recurrent preeclampsia, baby's birth weight, or gestational age at delivery.
This is the largest study so far to look at this specific question in women of Black ethnicity. The researchers note that their analysis focused only on the mother's genes. They did not look at the baby's genes or how genes might interact with environmental factors like diet or stress. Because of this, the results do not rule out other possible genetic or non-genetic causes of preeclampsia.
For now, this study provides reassuring evidence that these particular maternal APOL1 gene variants are not a major independent risk factor for preeclampsia. It helps narrow down the search for genetic causes, but understanding all the factors that lead to this condition will require more research.
