Objective To investigate the expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in placenta tissue of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (HDCP).Methods One hundred and one placentas with preeclampsia (including 51 mild preeclampsia and 50 severe preeclampsia respectively served as low-grade group and high-grade group) and 62 placentas of normal late pregnant women(served as control group) were analyzed for the expressions of Cnspase-3 and Bcl-2 using immunohistochemistry assay(streptavidin-biotin peroyxidase method).Results The positive expression ratio of Bcl-2 was 66% in high-grade group,75% in low-grade group and 84% in control group.There was no significant difference among the three groups (P＞0.05 ).The positive expression rates of Caspase-3 in high-grade group (64%) and low-grade group (53%)were significantly higher than that in control group (23%)(P ＜ 0.01 ).There was no significant difference between high-grade group and low-grade group (P ＞ 0.05).Negative relationship between the expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 could be found with statistical significance (r=-0.199,P ＜0.05).Conclusions Higher expression of Caspose-3 maybe play an important role in the pathogenesis of HDCP.The role of Bcl-2 in HDCP needs to be studied.