New research suggests that a simple blood test could allow doctors to screen for preeclampsia, a condition marked by dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy, far more accurately than they can today.
Preeclampsia is thought to stem from improperly developed blood vessels in the placenta, according to the Mayo Clinic. While it can be asymptomatic, the condition sometimes progresses to eclampsia during pregnancy, which can damage organs including the kidneys, liver, and lungs, and can also cause stroke, cardiovascular disease, and brain injuries. In severe cases, doctors will deliver the baby early in order to save the pregnant parent, which can lead to health complications of its own. A study published in Hypertension last September identified a 15-fold increase in maternal mortality caused by hypertensive disorders between 1979 and 2018, illustrating the need for better diagnostics and treatments.
Research published Wednesday (January 5) in Nature describes a new way to ...
