Medical Breakthrough Could Save 1,000 Babies a Year

SCIENTISTS in Yorkshire have discovered a test to diagnose pre- eclampsia – which affects one in 10 pregnant women and kills 1,000 babies a year.

The team from Leeds University now plans to develop a diagnostic kit for hospitals to safely and speedily test all pregnant women for the condition.

Left untreated it can cause problems ranging from babies being small to the deaths of about 1,000 children and up to 10 mothers annually. Overall it accounts for up to 15 per cent of premature births.

The team has been able to distinguish between pregnant women who are healthy and those with pre-eclampsia by studying differences in chemicals in their blood plasma.

And it believes the breakthrough could save the NHS up to Pounds 500m a year by slashing the cost of caring for mothers and babies.

Researcher Dr Julie Fisher said: "The concentration of certain chemicals such as amino acids and fat in the body has been found to vary in a way which is dependent on the health of the woman.

"We have found that some of these chemicals increase in concentration when the woman is suffering from pre-eclampsia whilst others decrease."

Leading obstetrician Prof Jimmy Walker, who was also involved in the study, said: "Currently we monitor all pregnant women in antenatal clinics for signs of pre-eclampsia, which develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

"If an early prognostic tool was to become available, doctors and midwives could focus their attention and resources on caring for those more likely to develop the condition and instigate methods of prevention."

Dr Fisher said her work could eventually be used to help find a cure for the condition.

"It is a long way down the line, but if we know what biological chemicals are affected by the disease, then we may be able to determine its cause and ultimately work towards preventing pre- eclampsia," she said.

Spin-out company MetaBio Ltd hopes to develop the test within five years.

Pre-eclampsia causes serious complications in one in 100 cases. Symptoms and signs include high blood pressure, headache, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, confusion and vomiting.

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