Pre-Eclampsia Tests to Save Thousands? New Test May Predict Pre-Eclampsia in Pregnant Women

Researchers have developed a test that could potentially predict women who will go on to develop pre-eclampsia in their pregnancy.

The study, presented to the American Society of Nephrology, tested for specific kidney cells in the women’s urine. Of those tested, 15 women who tested positive for those kidney cells later developed pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy, more likely in the third trimester. The disease brings on high blood pressure to the mother along with the presence of excess protein in the urine.

330 women were tested by the researchers at Mayo Clinic. Dr Vesna Garovic assessed a test which detects the shedding of kidney cells in the urine. The cells, called podocytes, were previously found in patients suffering from pre-eclampsia when they gave birth.

The study showed that all the women who developed pre-eclampsia had podocytes in their urine.

Although only 330 women were tested, researchers believe that the test is highly accurate for predicting pre-eclampsia.

"A large number of the 1,500 women who call our helpline each year are terrified of becoming pregnant again because they have suffered pre-eclampsia, often with tragic results,” said Marie Barnard, chief executive of Action on Pre-Eclampsia. “Many do decide to go ahead with a new pregnancy anyway.”

"Any test which can predict whether they are going to get it again has to be welcomed - while it cannot stop the disease occurring, it would enable services to be more closely focused on them and more alert to signs of the disease developing."