Pre- eclampsia affects approximately 3% of all pregnancies worldwide(4). Although much research into the aetiology and mechanism of pre-eclampsia has taken place, its exact pathogenesis remains uncertain. The main functional units of the placenta are the chorionic villi. Within them, the foetal blood is separated from the maternal blood in the surrounding intervillous space by vasculo-syncytial membranes overlying dilated foetal capillaries(5,6).