A world-first blood test that can help predict the potentially deadly pregnancy condition pre-eclampsia is being introduced at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital. The hospital helped develop the blood test, which predicts the likelihood of pregnant women developing the condition. About one in 20 pregnant women experience pre-eclampsia, which leads to dangerously high blood pressure in a pregnant woman and can involve kidneys, liver, brain and other organ systems.
There is no cure for preeclampsia other than to deliver the baby, the hospital's director of pregnancy research Professor said in a statement. "Currently, the only way to cure pre-eclampsia is to end the pregnancy by delivering the baby, even if the pregnancy is still many weeks from full term, in which case such prematurity can have significant implications for the long-term health of the baby," he said. Prof said the test…
