Disclosed herein are methods for diagnosing pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Also disclosed herein are methods for treating pre-eclampsia and eclampsia using compounds that increase VEGF or PlGF levels or compounds that decrease sFlt-1 levels. Compounds that inhibit the binding of VEGF or PlGF to sFlt1--are also disclosed herein for the treatment of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.