Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors expressed in trophoblasts, which regulate both cell differentiation and proliferation. In recent years, evidence has linked PPARs to playing an integral role in pregnancy; specifically, PPAR-b and PPAR-g have been shown to play an integral role in placentation, with PPAR-g additionally serving to regulate trophoblast differentiation. Recent evidence has shown that PPAR-g expression is altered in many complications of pregnancy such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth, pre-clampsia and gestational diabetes. Thus, at present, accumulating evidence from the literature suggests both a pivotal role for PPAR-g in the progression of a healthy pregnancy and the possibility that PPAR-g may act as a therapeutic target in complicated pregnancies. This review aims to provide a succinct and comprehensive assessment of the role of PPAR-g in normal pregnancy and pregnancy complications, and finally its potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment and/or prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes. AbbreviationsET-1, endothelin-1; HO-1, heme oxygenase-1; ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; IKK, IkB kinase; RXR, retinoid X receptor; SO, superoxide; TXA2, thromboxane A2; VCAM-1, vascular adhesion molecule-1

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