New technique to diagnose pre-eclampsia

British scientists have found a way to diagnose pre-eclampsia, a disease that affects nearly 10% of pregnant women and is responsible for about 15% of premature births.

Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a disease in pregnancy, but its cause is still unknown.High blood pressure and protein in the urine may be signs of pre-eclampsia.Symptoms usually include headache, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, visual disturbances, vomiting, face and hand swelling.Pre-eclampsia can cause the mother to suffer liver, kidney and hemorrhage injuries;fetal growth retardation, fetal distress, even fetal death in the uterus.To detect early pre-eclampsia, regular blood pressure measurements and urine tests are needed to measure protein levels.

A research team from the University of Leeds (UK) has developed a new way to detect pre-eclampsia by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scans) to identify serum chemicals of pregnant women . According to experts, the concentrations of these chemicals will vary depending on whether the woman is healthy or suffering from pre-eclampsia.

Symptoms of pre-eclampsia include high blood pressure, the presence of protein in the urine, and the retention of fluid in the body. If left untreated, this condition can lead to serious problems, such as limiting the growth of newborns and even death of the fetus and pregnant woman.

Dr. Julie Fisher, biological NMR specialist, said: 'The concentration of certain chemicals such as amino acids (amino acids) and body fat will be different. each other according to women's health. In women affected by pre-eclampsia, levels of these substances increase, while in other women the concentration decreases. '

Currently, the research team was able to distinguish between healthy women and women with pre-eclampsia by studying serum samples taken at the same time as blood samples taken for routine testing.

In women with pre-eclampsia, the concentration of certain chemicals in the body will increase.(Photo: Momsquawk.com)

"We are now monitoring all pregnant women at antenatal clinics to detect signs of pre-eclampsia ," said gynecologist Jimmy Walker, of St James's University hospital. - a condition that may arise after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If an early diagnosis tool is used, doctors and obstetricians will have better conditions to take care of pregnant women and find timely preventive measures. '

The team hopes that within 5 years, they will complete the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia to apply to pregnant women in hospitals worldwide.

Moreover, Dr. Fisher said that the study could also help find ways to treat pre-eclampsia. She said: 'It takes a long time to be able to do that, but we already know what effect preeclampsia has on biological chemicals in the body. Since then, we will identify the cause and find a way to prevent this disease '.

This discovery has been patented and is being developed by MetaBio Ltd. A report on this study will be published in the coming time in the medical journal Hypertension in Pregnancy (' Hypertension in Pregnancy ').

Truc Thinh (According to Eurekalert, Wikipedia, Vietnamnet)