Medical News Summary: Researchers find that urine protein measurement can determine preeclampsia risk

About: Researchers find that urine protein measurement can determine preeclampsia risk
Date: 4 January 2005
Source: NIH News
Medical News Summary (summary of medical news story as reported by NIH News): 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.
URL: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2005/nichd-04.htm
Related Disease Topics: Preeclampsia, High blood pressure, Hypertension, Pregnancy, Seizure, birth complication, Low birth size, Blindness, Cerebral palsy, Mental retardation

Related Medical News Channels: This medical news summary article refers to the following medical channel 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

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