The purpose of the proposed study is to assemble a cohort of nulliparous women pre-conception, the majority of whom will be African-American, and follow them longitudinally through post-partum to determine the prevalence and incidence of obesity and dyslipidemia, and their relationship to the development of preeclampsia. A cohort of nulliparous women of childbearing age will be identified during routine health care visits at a community based clinic offering gynecologic and family planning services. Women will be followed forward in time. Data will be collected at baseline (pre-conception), and once pregnancy is achieved, at established intervals during prenatal care, and at the post-partal clinic visit to examine identified variables. Postpartally, participants from the cohort will be classified by an expert panel, independent of the investigator, according to established criteria as to whether preeclampsia occurred. Changes in the variables of interest throughout the pregnancy and postpartum will be examined for the total group, all cases and controls, and on a matched pair basis (1 case: 2 controls). A model will be developed that will allow for generation of primary and secondary interventions for preeclampsia.
