A new blood test called PreTRM tracks levels of two proteins in the blood that tend to rise during the second trimester in women who are at risk of delivering early. The test can help doctors make informed decisions about patient care, such as recommending bed rest or more frequent monitoring.
n 2017, Dr. Barbi Phelps-Sandall, an obstetrician who has been practicing in the San Francisco Bay area for more than two decades, had just learned about a new blood test only available at select labs for predicting premature birth when the perfect case walked into her office.
Because she had a history of premature labor, she was at higher risk of delivering her third baby early as well. But as the primary earner for her family, she could not afford to take time off on bed rest like she had for her second. Phelps-Sandall decided to give her the blood test to help inform any decision they made about her options.
The baby ended up sticking to its due date. “The blood test made life so much easier because it made us feel more secure,” says Phelps-Sandall. Because hormone and protein levels fluctuate constantly during pregnancy, the two proteins PreTRM tracks are carefully chosen and measured only when women are between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. Any earlier or later might yield inaccurate results.If PreTRM indicates a higher risk of preterm delivery, then doctors can prescribe aspirin, vaginal progesterone, and more frequent vaginal and fetal checks to ensure the cervix remains closed. Currently about half of preterm births in the U.S.
Premature Birth Blood Test Pretrm Pregnancy Obstetrics
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