A blood test to detect a common and potentially deadly pregnancy complication has shown a lot of promise in trials, says a professor from the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne.
Preeclampsia is a serious high blood pressure disorder that affects pregnant women, and can kill the mother and baby if not managed effectively.
Professor Shaun Brennecke and a team of researchers at the Royal Women's hospital have developed a blood test that measure proteins released from the placenta during pregnancy.
So far, the testing for these biomarkers has been proven effective in predicting preeclampsia, Prof Brennecke said.
The test's reliability so far has provided much optimism for a nationwide roll-out, even though this would still be "a long" time away, said Prof Brennecke.
The obstetrician and head of the Pregnancy Research Centre at the hospital will speak about the test at the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia's (RCPA) annual conference on Sunday.
He says the successful prediction of preeclampsia - for which there is no cure - would improve management options for both mother and baby and ultimately save lives.
"Currently, if a patient presents with any signs or symptoms suggesting the development of preeclampsia, she is admitted to hospital for monitoring. However, the new blood test reveals if the chances of developing preeclampsia are low or high," Prof Brennecke said.
If the chances are low, Prof Brennecke says, the mother could go home and remain with her family, with no need to stay in hospital, and can continue her routine antenatal care visits.
"Alternatively, if a patient shows a high level of risk, it provides much more precise information regarding when she might need to deliver," Prof Brennecke said.
