Blood test predicts pregnancy troubles
THE first blood test to screen for the most common and serious complications during pregnancy — to be used before conception or in the first trimester — has been developed by Australian researchers.
The researchers say the test paves the way for women to take action to reduce their risk or receive medical treatment early, with many lifestyle-related factors contributing to an increased chance of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, spontaneous pre-term birth and interuterine growth restriction.
In her keynote address this week at the world’s largest fertility conference, University of Adelaide’s Professor Claire Roberts presented findings from her study of more than 5600 first-time pregnant women from four countries about their preconception and pregnancy health.
The comprehensive study analysed what the women ate the month before getting pregnant, their health and diet at 15 weeks gestation, their partner’s health and parents’ health.
Women who ate fast food at least four times a week raised the chance of infertility.
Women eating at least three serves of fruit a day and getting high amounts of green vegetables got pregnant the fastest.
Prof Roberts told the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual meeting that, using data from this study, they had now developed four algorithms to allow a blood test and questionnaire to predict a woman’s risk of pregnancy complications.
This was based on their genetics, lifestyle and medical factors between nine and 16 weeks gestation.
The team further validated this predictive formula in another 1300 pregnant women from Adelaide and Auckland; 10 years after they proved the formula in the original study cohort.
They have now patented the STOP test (Screening Time to predict poor Outcomes in Pregnancy) and are working with a Melbourne start-up to get their test into the clinic.