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New Research Sheds Light on Early Detection of Preeclampsia
Recent analysis of cheek swabs from pregnant women has identified a potential epigenetic biomarker for preeclampsia, a serious condition that can lead to preterm births and other complications. This discovery may pave the way for earlier diagnosis in expectant mothers.
The findings, published in the journal Environmental Epigenetics, highlight the possibility of developing a straightforward test to identify preeclampsia at an earlier stage in pregnancy. Typically, the condition is diagnosed based on symptoms like elevated blood pressure, which generally do not manifest until the second trimester. Unfortunately, this delay can lead to severe health emergencies.
“Having a biomarker for preeclampsia susceptibility could enable targeted clinical management in the early stages of pregnancy, potentially delaying preterm births,” stated Michael Skinner, a biologist at Washington State University and the study’s corresponding author.
The research involved collecting cheek swabs from 49 new mothers after they delivered their children. Co-author Dr. Paul Winchester, who oversees the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Franciscan Hospital in Indianapolis, participated in gathering these samples. Among the mothers, 13 had been diagnosed with preeclampsia and delivered preterm, while others experienced preterm births without the condition, and a control group of 13 mothers delivered full-term.
The research team investigated the epigenetic modifications in the mothers’ cells, focusing on how these molecular changes, which do not alter the DNA sequence, affect gene expression.
Notably, the study revealed that mothers with preeclampsia exhibited 389 unique epigenetic modifications in regions associated with DNA methylation. These specific changes were absent in mothers who did not have the condition. Furthermore, only a 15% overlap with the epigenetic profiles of mothers who delivered preterm but were not diagnosed with preeclampsia was observed, reinforcing the idea that these modifications are specifically tied to preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is linked to serious outcomes; babies born preterm—defined as less than 37 weeks gestation—can face long-lasting health challenges, including developmental and intellectual disabilities. While preeclampsia is responsible for an estimated 8%-10% of preterm births, it’s often associated with more severe complications in the earliest deliveries.
Previously, Skinner’s team identified a potential biomarker indicating the risk of preterm birth. The researchers are now looking to conduct a clinical trial to validate these findings, which may lead to the development of a cheek swab test to identify risks early on, enabling timely preventative interventions.
Skinner emphasized, “Preterm birth currently affects over 10% of pregnancies and is significantly linked to health issues later in life for those individuals. This challenge not only affects the affected individuals but also poses a broader public health concern. Advancements like this could substantially reduce the overall health burden on society.”
This research was made possible through funding from the Libra Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Other contributors to the study include Eric Nilsson, Daniel Beck from Washington State University, and Cathy Proctor from St. Franciscan Hospital.
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