Researchers find that urine protein measurement can determine preeclampsia risk

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development claims that the measurement of a compound in the urine of pregnant women can help determine the risk of eventually developing preeclampsia. They researchers found that low levels of placental growth factor (PIGF) increased the risk of preeclampsia symptoms such as high blood pressure. PIGF works with vascular endothelial growth factor to promote the growth of new blood vessels and maintains cell health inside blood vessels such as those in the placenta. The researchers now aim to use this knowledge to develop a screening test to determine which women are at high risk of preeclampsia. These women can then be treated or monitored accordingly. At risk women could be given additional PIDF and VEGF. Preeclampsia usually starts with very high blood pressure and excretion of protein in the urine. This can progress to seizures. High blood pressure and seizures are treatable but once preeclampsia occurs, the baby needs to be delivered. Preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders occur in 5.9-8% of all US pregnancies. Hypertension that doesn’t result in preeclampsia can result in small birth size or premature birth which places the baby at risk of birth complications such as blindness, cerebral palsy or mental retardation. A separate study found that calcium supplements didn’t lower the risk of developing preeclampsia in pregnant women. Other studies have found that aspirin, magnesium and fish oil do not have a protective effect against preeclampsia.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by NIH News

Related Disease Topics:

• Preeclampsia
• High blood pressure
• Hypertension
• Pregnancy
• Seizure
• Birth complication
• Low birth size
• Blindness
• Cerebral palsy
• Mental retardation

Article Source Details

About: Researchers find that urine protein measurement can determine preeclampsia risk

Date: 4 January 2005

Source: NIH News

URL: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2005/nichd-04.htm

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Diagnosis
• Diagnosis and preeclampsia
• Diagnosis and high blood pressure
• Diagnosis and hypertension
• Diagnosis and pregnancy
• Diagnosis and seizure
• Diagnosis and birth complication
• Diagnosis and low birth size
• Diagnosis and blindness
• Diagnosis and cerebral palsy
• Diagnosis and mental retardation
• Research
• Research and preeclampsia
• Research and high blood pressure
• Research and hypertension
• Research and pregnancy
• Research and seizure
• Research and birth complication
• Research and low birth size
• Research and blindness
• Research and cerebral palsy
• Research and mental retardation
• Cause of preeclampsia
• Cause of high blood pressure
• Cause of hypertension
• Cause of pregnancy
• Cause of seizure
• Cause of birth complication
• Cause of low birth size
• Cause of blindness
• Cause of cerebral palsy
• Cause of mental retardation
• Diagnosis
• Diagnosis and preeclampsia
• Diagnosis and high blood pressure
• Diagnosis and hypertension
• Diagnosis and pregnancy
• Diagnosis and seizure
• Diagnosis and birth complication
• Diagnosis and low birth size
• Diagnosis and blindness
• Diagnosis and cerebral palsy
• Diagnosis and mental retardation
• Diet