New Blood Test Predicts Severity of Preeclampsia

Doctors and researchers have developed a blood test to predict preeclampsia early on in a woman’s pregnancy. Preeclampsia is a potentially dangerous hypertensive (high blood pressure) condition affecting pregnant women. While some women who develop preeclampsia experience no symptoms, complications from preeclampsia may result in maternal and/or fetal injury, including organ damage, preterm delivery, and, in severe cases, death.

Recently approved by the FDA, this new test detects specific proteins in the blood - sFlt1 and PIGF - that better predict the development of severe preeclampsia. The test can be used between 23 and 35 weeks of pregnancy. Traditional preeclampsia testing methods include testing a woman’s blood pressure and measuring proteins in the urine.

“Doctors can use this in conjunction with other clinically available tests to stratify their patients to determine whether they’re at high risk for severe preeclampsia and complications, or at low risk, to be managed appropriately,” said Sarosh Rana, MD, MPH, chief of maternal-fetal medicine at University of Chicago Medicine. She collaborated with researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on this effort for over a decade.

Dr. Rana also expects the test to have a positive impact on Black mothers, who are 60% more likely to develop preeclampsia than pregnant white women, and have much higher rates of complications from the condition. In addition to race, there may be biological, cultural, and/or social factors which may play a role in the development of preeclampsia.

Did You Develop Preeclampsia During Your Pregnancy and You or Your Child Was Injured as a Result?

If you have experienced preeclampsia during your pregnancy and you or your child has suffered as a result, contact us to schedule a free consultation.