Evaluation of renal biopsy in pregnancy toxemia

Percutaneous renal biopsies obtained during the immediate postpartum period from 57 subjects who had been hypertensive during pregnancy were studied by pathologists who had no knowledge of the clinical data. Although the degree of glomerular endotheliosis, mesangiosis, and basement membrane deposits showed some correlation with the clinical severity of the hypertension and toxemia, there was a wide range of observed tissue changes. It is concluded that such renal alterations are suggestive but not pathognomonic of preeclampsiaeclampsia.