Promising blood test that will help predict spontaneous premature delivery
Currently 1 in 9 American babies are born prematurely, yet only 50% of their mothers have identifiable risk factors. Those numbers may be about to be lowered. Past AMWA president Diane Helentjaris, MD, MPH, joined a small group of women’s health advocates to hear from and dialogue with reps from Sera Prognostics. As announced in a landmark study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sera has validated a blood test predictive of women with pregnancies at risk for spontaneous premature delivery. Their study of 5,50l US women found a two-protein signature during weeks 19 to 20 which is highly predictive of preterm birth. By identifying this risk, appropriate interventions can be used early in the pregnancy by both the mother and her health care provider. Available commercially as PreTRM, Sera is working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to translate this discovery into a global tool for better maternal child health.
