Objective:The aim of this study was to identify the differences in risk factors between early and late onset pre-eclampsia in sample of Iraqi women. Material and methods:This retrospective study was carried out involving pregnancies with pre-eclampsia (65 early onset and 143 late onset) and 235 controls at different hospitals in Baghdad city between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2017. The data were reviewed from antenatal and delivery records. Results:Factors which were significantly associated with increased risk for early onset pre-eclampsia were history of chronic hypertension and higher BMI before pregnancy while family history of chronic hypertension and increased maternal age was significantly associated with increased risk for only late onset pre-eclampsia. Previous history of preeclampsia, Nulliparity and family history of diabetes are associated with both early and late preeclampsia. Conclusions:Early- and late-onset preeclampsia may have the same etiological features but they differ with regard to several risk factors, and can lead to different outcomes, so they should be treated as distinct entities from an etiological and prognostic standpoint. Identification of the risk factors for each type is of value to obstetricians in recognizing patients at risk for pre-eclampsia and in implementing primary prevention.