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Background Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) is a DNA damage recognition protein that plays an important role in nucleotide excision repair and can reduce oxidative stress, which may be involved in the development of preeclampsia (PE). Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore whether XPC polymorphisms were relevant to the genetic susceptibility to PE in Chinese Han women. Method A total of 1276 healthy pregnant women were included as the control group and 958 pregnant women with PE as the case group. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples to perform genotyping of loci rs2228001 and rs2228000 in XPC through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The relationship between XPC and susceptibility to PE was evaluated by comparing the genotypic and allelic frequencies between the two groups of pregnant women. Results Polymorphism of rs2228000 may be associated with PE risk and allele T may play a protective role (genotype, χ2 = 38.961, P P P = 0.207 and allele χ2 = 0.59, P = 0.442, OR = 1.017, 95% CI = 0.974–1.062). When the frequencies of genotypes and alleles for early- and late-onset PE, mild PE and severe PE were compared with those of controls, the results were consistent with the large clinical sample. Conclusion Our data suggest that the genetic variant rs2228000 in XPC may be associated with PE risk in Chinese Han women, and that pregnant women with the TT genotype have a reduced risk of PE. Further investigations are needed to confirm these findings in other regions or larger prospective populations.