A simple blood-test taken at 24 weeks of pregnancy may be up to 80 percent effective at determining whether an expectant mother will go into premature labor, reports a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Researchers at Brigham Young University and the University of Utah have identified three new peptides — a biological compound found in blood — that have been linked to premature birth.
"Our approach has been to look at the naturally occurring molecules that are present in women’s blood to see if we can identify the peptides and small proteins that are at quantitatively different levels in women who go on to have these complications," explained Steven Graves, one of the study’s authors.
The researchers hope that the information can help mothers make plans about travel and activity levels during the later stages of pregnancy. Hormone treatments can also be used to help at-risk mothers somewhat extend their pregnancy.
"With pre-term birth, if we could even prolong a pregnancy by one or two weeks, we could make a very big impact on the number of babies that survive and make sure that those that survive are healthy," noted Dr. Sean Esplin, also an author on the study.