Research Roundup: August 2010
Last month, a team from the University of Alberta reported in the journal Hypertension on a method to determine that a woman is at high risk of developing preeclampsia. While this method may or may not be developed into a screening test in the future, it confirmed that changes in the metabolism and the vasculature of women who go on to develop preeclampsia can be detected at 15 weeks gestation.
Two Preeclampsia Foundation members were involved in media coverage on the topic and we are very grateful to them for bringing a human face to the stories about preeclampsia. Because of the press conference and media efforts of the University, a lot of lay press picked up the story and we are fortunate that the Foundation was mentioned in several of those stories. The research findings while seemingly exciting to a lay public are far from commercial realization and would need more validation for most governmental oversight bodies (e.g., FDA). Our message of "cautious optimism" is a responsible middle ground at this early juncture. Read more here.
Also, a new study into changes in maternal weight between pregnancies was published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology by a team from the University of St. Louis Medical Center. It confirmed that women who lose weight after a preeclamptic pregnancy have a lower risk of preeclampsia in later pregnancies than women who maintain their weight or who gain weight. Losing weight may change the uterine environment and help encourage normal placental development. A link to the abstract and discussion among forum participants may be found here.
The National Institutes of Health announced that research shows taking vitamin C and E supplements early in pregnancy does not reduce the risk for hypertensive disorders and other complications during pregnancy.
An Irish study to be published in an upcoming issue of Hypertension shows that metabolites found in women's blood early in pregnancy may be able to serve as accurate predictors of preeclampsia. This is a significant breakthrough, as biomarkers for preeclampsia have not previously been very precise. Further studies on the topic are planned.
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Frequently asked questions about the Preeclampsia Registry, a patient-driven registry and biobank.
The Preeclampsia Foundation offers research funding, study recruitment, and other patient engagement services to researchers.
We provide research grant funding to advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
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