We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Blood Test Identifies Pregnant Women at Higher Risk of Preeclampsia

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 30 Aug 2023

Preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication affecting 1 in 40 pregnant women, is characterized by elevated blood pressure. More...

Left untreated, it can lead to organ damage and, in rare instances, maternal or fetal death. As the exact cause remains uncertain, identifying high-risk patients is complex. Now, researchers have discovered that DNA analysis can identify women at higher risk of developing severe preeclampsia during later pregnancy stages. Detecting high-risk patients early will allow for administering preventive medication, significantly reducing the risk of severe preeclampsia.

Around 1 in 8 cases involve early-onset preeclampsia, manifesting between 20 and 34 weeks of pregnancy. Preterm births, often induced due to preeclampsia, require neonatal intensive care and can lead to serious complications. Promptly identifying women with an elevated risk of early preeclampsia is essential for initiating appropriate and preventive treatment, reducing both preeclampsia and potential premature birth risks. Current screening methods are often complex, time-consuming, and unreliable. In order to understand the pivotal role of the placenta, researchers from KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium) compared placental DNA in 498 women with and without early preeclampsia.

Normal pregnancy brings changes in placental DNA structure through DNA methylation. However, the researchers found that women developing early preeclampsia exhibited a distinct DNA methylation pattern. While the cause of this difference remains unknown, it can allow physicians to identify high-risk women and initiate treatment before symptoms emerge. The new test offers a significant advantage: it can be conducted using DNA from a simple blood sample taken around the 12th week of pregnancy. Given that blood samples are routinely taken for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) to identify fetal chromosomal abnormalities, additional placental samples or cells are not necessary.

"In time, our analysis can be carried out simultaneously with the NIPT test,” said Professor Bernard Thienpont who led the research. “But first, we will focus on implementing our new method on a larger scale, optimizing and validating it. We also want to investigate whether certain women would benefit more from preventive screening, for example, in the case of a first pregnancy."

Related Links:
KU Leuven 


New
Gold Member
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
New
Automatic Chemiluminescence Immunoassay Analyzer
Shine i2000
New
Automated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay Analyzer
MS-i3080
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Sample Stability (Photo courtesy of ALCOR Scientific)

ESR Testing Breakthrough Extends Blood Sample Stability from 4 to 28 Hours

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is one of the most widely ordered blood tests worldwide, helping clinicians detect and monitor infections, autoimmune conditions, cancers, and other diseases.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.