Pregnancy Alert: Proteins may predict preeclampsia
Blood concentrations of two proteins that affect blood vessel growth appear to foretell preeclampsia, the baffling pregnancy condition that can threaten the lives of both a woman and her unborn baby. The findings from two new studies may lead scientists to develop screening tests and treatments for the disease.
Preeclampsia strikes about 5 percent of pregnancies in the United States. In these cases, during the second half of a pregnancy, women develop high blood pressure and excess protein in their urine. The condition can escalate to eclampsia, which includes potentially fatal seizures.