Pregnant women can now benefit from a novel blood test that aids in the identification of preeclampsia.
The detection of preeclampsia, a prominent contributor to pregnancy complications, can now be facilitated through a recently sanctioned blood test, enabling healthcare providers to mitigate associated risks.
The clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been granted to a blood test, which reportedly enables physicians to identify preeclampsia in pregnant women.
During pregnancy, a condition known as preeclampsia can arise, characterized by a severe manifestation of high blood pressure. Recent studies indicate that Black women have a 60% higher likelihood of experiencing preeclampsia compared to their white counterparts.
Dr. Doug Woelkers, a professor of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of California San Diego, hailed the recent development as groundbreaking and revolutionary, stating that it represents the first significant advancement in preeclampsia diagnostics since the condition’s initial definition in 1900, as reported by The New York Times.
Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed a specialized test intended for women hospitalized due to blood pressure concerns between the 23rd and 35th week of pregnancy. While the test does not provide a cure, it holds the potential to assist medical professionals in identifying pregnant women displaying symptoms and determining whether they are likely to develop preeclampsia.
According to Dr. Sarosh Rana, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago, the warning signs of preeclampsia lack specificity, making it challenging to identify patients at higher risk for adverse outcomes such as swelling, headaches, and other complications. This information was shared with The Times during Dr. Rana’s study of the test.
Preeclampsia affects approximately one in 25 pregnant women, but Black women in the United States are three times more susceptible than their white counterparts to experience complications such as kidney damage or even death. Although the condition typically arises during pregnancy, there are instances where it can manifest after childbirth, leading to eclampsia, which may result in seizures and fatalities.
Renowned athlete Tori Bowie, unfortunately, developed preeclampsia during her pregnancy, which is believed to have contributed to her untimely demise. Prominent figures like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Bowie’s former teammates Allyson Felix and Tianna Madison (formerly Bartoletta) have shared their own encounters with preeclampsia.
The innovative blood test was created based on research findings that revealed the correlation between the levels of two placenta-produced proteins. This discovery enables medical professionals to determine the likelihood of severe preeclampsia with an impressive accuracy rate of 96%. The test also allows for the monitoring of women whose initial results may not exhibit immediate signs of preeclampsia.
Dr. Ravi Thadhani, as mentioned in The Times, expressed the alarming aspect of the disease, stating that a woman can transition from feeling perfectly fine and displaying normal kidney and liver function to experiencing organ failure, brain swelling, and seizures within a span of 24 to 48 hours.
