Blood tests may help determine patients at risk for preeclampsia

Blood tests measuring biomarkers for preeclampsia may help to identify patients sooner who are at risk for preeclampsia, a condition that can cause organ damage, stroke, pre-term birth, slow growth in the baby and other problems. One test can be performed between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation to help determine the risk of developing preeclampsia before 34 weeks of gestation. Two other tests can be administered in the second and third trimesters on hospitalized patients to determine whether they are at risk of progressing to severe preeclampsia. Although there is no treatment, the tests can alert clinicians to closely watch patients at higher risk. The tests could identify candidates for clinical trials to test the effectiveness of future treatments. (Associated Press article, 6/25/24)