Which maternal condition is directly related to an increased risk of developing preeclampsia?

Chronic hypertension is directly related to an increased risk of developing preeclampsia due to the underlying vascular changes it causes within the body. When a woman has chronic hypertension, her blood vessels are already under stress, which can lead to impaired blood flow to the placenta. This situation increases the risk for placental insufficiency, which is associated with the development of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and often protein in the urine that occurs after the 20th week of gestation. The presence of chronic hypertension exacerbates this condition because it places additional strain on the mother's cardiovascular system, contributing to the pathophysiological processes of preeclampsia, like endothelial dysfunction and increased vascular resistance.

In contrast, while conditions like gestational diabetes and obesity are also associated with various pregnancy complications, chronic hypertension presents a more direct pathway that influences the mechanisms leading to preeclampsia. Asthma, while it can affect pregnancy, does not have the same direct correlation with the development of preeclampsia as chronic hypertension does.