Women who live in a rural area may have higher chances of developing preeclampsia and pregnancy-related hypertension, a new study finds.

In this six-year study, the researchers also found that women with some college education were 19 percent more likely to have preeclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension than women with a high school education. Women who gave birth in Colorado during six-year were included in the study.

The study has been presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in Philadelphia.

There are some known risk factors for preeclampsia and PIH and that include older age, excessive weight and giving birth to multiple babies. The researchers validated these factors in this new study. One researcher suggests that the link between rural living and preeclampsia, PIH risk may be due to maternal poverty and social deprivation.

Dr. Rebecca Moore, who led the study, says in a news release: “We know about the traditional risk factors for preeclampsia and PIH, but these diseases are still enigmatic and no effective way has been developed to reduce their incidence.”

A rapid increase in blood pressure along with kidney damage can occur due to Preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a very common condition and it is known as the third most common cause of maternal death in the US, but the real cause of the disease is still unknown. There is no fixed cure for it, but is often resolved after delivery.