To investigate linkage between the renin gene restriction fragment length polymorphisms in families with a history of preeclampsia/eclampsia.Nine Icelandic families with at least three affected females in two or three generations were investigated. DNA from lymphocytes was digested with the endonuclease restriction enzyme Bgl I and restriction fragments were transferred by Southern Blotting. Hybridisation was effected with the 32P-oligonucleotide-labeled diallelic genomic probe pHRnX 0.8. LOD scores were calculated by the Liped program for two forms of inheritance patterns. Affected sib pairs were analysed.Frequencies of the 9.0 kb and 5.0 kb alleles were 0.67 and 0.33, with no significant differences between affected females and spouses and combined LOD scores of -2 for recombination values of 3%. Allele sharing in affected sibs was not different from the expected random assortment.The linkage analysis provides evidence to exclude alteration of the renin gene in pregnancy as being directly responsible for the manifestations of preeclampsia or eclampsia in these families.