A routine blood test may soon help doctors identify pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia during labour, according to a new study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting in Philadelphia. Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition marked by high blood pressure and is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. This study shows a milestone in predicting preeclampsia, which could lead to better management of labour and reduce risks for mothers and babies.
Researchers discovered that a woman’s risk of developing preeclampsia can be predicted by analyzing the levels of two specific blood proteins: fibrinogen and albumin. When a woman is admitted to the hospital for delivery, doctors can assess her fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR), which could serve as a reliable indicator of preeclampsia risk. According to the study, women with an elevated FAR could have up to a 41% increased likelihood of developing preeclampsia.
“Our study shows that FAR can be a predictive tool that gives anesthesiologists and obstetricians a new method for assessing a labouring mom’s risk of developing preeclampsia when they are admitted to the hospital,” said Lucy Shang, lead researcher and medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Preeclampsia is relatively common, affecting between 5% and 10% of pregnant women, according to the study’s background notes. It can lead to several severe complications, including premature birth, bl.