Abstract: Pre-eclampsia is one of the most important obstetrical diseases, being a prevalent worldwide cause of mortality in women at the age of reproduction. Albuminuria is a common occurrence in pregnancy, particular in the last trimester andmay be accompanied by some edema of the ankles: these disturbances are not of serious significance unless there is also a rise in the blood pressure, when the combination of features is termed pre-eclampsia or pre-eclamptic toxemia. This occurs most commonly in primigravida and is usually mild: The changes-edema, proteinuria and hypertension-do not often increase to alarming degrees andsubside usually within a few days after parturition. But in some cases the features become progressively more severe during late pregnancy andimpaired renal function is reflected in a rise in the level of blood urea. In such cases, hypertensive convulsions may occur, the condition then being termed eclampsia. Death may result from uremia or hypertensive encephalopathy andconsiderable judgment is sometimes required to decide whether pregnancy should be allowed to continue to term.