Blood test for women who suffer from miscarriages

Good news! A blood test designed to detect whether pregnant women face a high risk of miscarriage has moved a step closer.

The test, developed by a team in San Francisco, screens for molecules called microRNA which are found in blood cells of the placenta. Their presence is thought to indicate problems with blood supply, which triggers complications.

In four trials involving a total of 160 births, the test achieved 92% accuracy for predicting both miscarriages and “late premature” births (those occurring between 32 and 37 weeks). For “extremely premature” births, accuracy was 98%. The test was also 82% accurate in spotting pre-eclampsia. The researchers believe that these complications are all related to the supply of blood to the foetus, and that potential treatments could include blood-thinning drugs such as heparin. However, the research is in its early days and larger trials are needed.