Preeclampsia (PE) refers to a disease with new hypertension and albuminuria or other end-organ damage after 20 weeks of pregnancy. As a major complication of pregnancy, PE can increase the morbidity and mortality of pregnant women and fetuses and cause serious social burden. Recently, it has been found that exposure to xenobiotic compounds, especially endocrine disruptors in the environment, may contribute to the development of PE. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. It is generally believed that PE is related to placental dysplasia, spiral artery remodelling failure, oxidative stress, etc. Therefore, in order to better prevent the occurrence of PE and reduce the damage and impact on mother and fetus, this paper reviews the role and potential mechanism of PE induced by exogenous chemicals and provides an outlook on the environmental etiology of PE.