The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a blood test that identifies pregnant women at immediate risk of developing pre-eclampsia. The condition is a leading cause of disability and death among childbearing women. According to The New York Times, Dr. Doug Woelkers, a professor of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of California, San Diego, describes the test as “groundbreaking” and “revolutionary,” marking the first significant advancement in pre-eclampsia diagnostics since 1900.
The NYT reports that the new blood test was developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific. It has been available in Europe for several years. It is primarily intended for pregnant women hospitalized due to a blood pressure disorder between the 23rd and 35th weeks of gestation. Dr. Sarosh Rana, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago, explains, “The warning signs of pre-eclampsia are not very specific. A lot of women will have edema and headaches.” The challenge has been identifying those at higher risk for adverse outcomes.
The blood test measures the ratio of two proteins produced by the placenta. A study published in NEJM Evidence found that women with significantly imbalanced protein levels had a 65 percent chance of progressing to severe pre-eclampsia and delivering their babies within two weeks. Dr. Ravi Thadhani, an author of the study, states, “If your levels are among the highest, you deliver in a few days.”
Pre-eclampsia Disproportionately Affects Black Women
Pre-eclampsia disproportionately affects Black women and contributes to maternal and infant mortality rates in the United States. The severe condition affects approximately one in 25 pregnancies and has increased in the United States. Black women have higher rates of pre-eclampsia than white women, with a three times greater likelihood of experiencing kidney damage or death. They are also more likely to lose their babies due to pre-eclampsia.
While the blood test reassures negative women, those with suggestive symptoms may require repeated testing every two weeks. Without the blood test, pre-eclampsia can progress rapidly, leading to organ failure, brain swelling, seizures, and other life-threatening complications. Olympian Tori Bowie’s recent death was linked to the advanced stages of the condition. Bowie’s autopsy cited respiratory distress and eclampsia as likely complications that arose during her childbirth.
The FDA-approved blood test for pre-eclampsia represents a groundbreaking advancement in diagnostics. Dr. Woelkers emphasizes that there is currently no effective treatment or cure for pre-eclampsia other than delivering the baby. He explains, “We don’t have a therapy that reverses or cures pre-eclampsia other than the delivery of the baby, which is more like a last resort.”