Did you know that fathers provide the genetic “blueprint” for their baby’s placenta?
That’s right. One tiny sperm acts like an architect behind the scenes, quietly influencing how the placenta is designed and built from the very beginning. The quality of the placenta and how well it connects with the uterus is critical for the health of both mom and baby.
May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month, so I want to highlight a few lesser-known contributors to preeclampsia, many of which naturopathic medicine is well equipped to address.
But first… what is preeclampsia?
PREECLAMPSIA
Preeclampsia is considered one of the “great obstetrical syndromes,” affecting about 5–8% of pregnancies. It’s a serious, sometimes life-threatening condition believed to originate from dysfunction in early placental development.
It typically develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy and is characterized by elevated blood pressure along with other systemic symptoms.
Well-established risk factors include obesity, chronic hypertension, diabetes, and maternal age over 35; however, a growing body of research suggests there are additional underlying contributors worth paying attention to (1).
SPERM QUALITY
Paternal factors may account for up to 13% of preeclampsia risk (2). When sperm DNA is damaged by oxidative stress, it is less able to properly guide placental development, increasing the risk of complications like preeclampsia (3).
Imagine a builder trying to follow a blueprint with critical pages missing. That’s the kind of challenge poor sperm quality can create.
Sperm health matters not just for conception, but for the long-term health of your future child as well, but that’s a topic for another day!
PERIODONTAL DISEASE & GUT DYSBIOSIS
Emerging research shows that women with periodontal (gum) disease may have an increased risk of developing preeclampsia. One proposed mechanism is that oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation and vascular changes that contribute to the condition (4).
Similarly, imbalances in the maternal gut microbiome (dysbiosis) are also linked to preeclampsia, likely through vascular inflammatory pathways as well (5–6).
If you’re curious how I help both men and women reduce preeclampsia risk and risk of developing other pregnancy health complications, I’d love to connect.
Call to schedule your complimentary discovery call: 970-963-6500
In Health,
Dr. Casey Bowen
1) Jung E, Romero R, Yeo L, Gomez-Lopez N, Chaemsaithong P, Jaovisidha A, Gotsch F, Erez O. The etiology of preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Feb;226(2S):S844-S866.
2) Galaviz-Hernandez C, Sosa-Macias M, Teran E, Garcia-Ortiz JE, Lazalde-Ramos BP. Paternal Determinants in Preeclampsia. Front Physiol. 2019 Jan 7;9:1870.
3) Stenqvist A, Bungum M, Pinborg AB, Bogstad J, Englund AL, Grøndahl ML, Zedeler A, Hansson SR, Giwercman A. High sperm deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation index is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia following assisted reproduction treatment. Fertil Steril. 2025 Jan;123(1):97-104.
4) Conde-Agudelo A, Villar J, Lindheimer M. Maternal infection and risk of preeclampsia: systematic review and metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;198:7–22.
5) Chen X, Li P, Liu M, et al. Gut dysbiosis induces the development of pre-eclampsia through bacterial translocation. Gut 2020;69:513–22.
6) Beckers KF, Sones JL. Maternal microbiome and the hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, preeclampsia. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2020;318:H1–h10.