New urine test to detect pregnancy complication

A new discovery could help prevent complications for pregnant women with the medical problem known as preeclampsia.

Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found they could detect certain proteins in the urine indicative of preeclampsia, suggesting a simple urine test could potentially serve as a less expensive and less invasive screening tool.

Preeclampsia typically develops after the 20th week of pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure, edema, and protein in the urine.

In severe cases it can lead to eclampsia, where a sharp rise in blood pressure causes the mother to suffer a series of potentially fatal complications and forces premature delivery of the infant. Preeclampsia develops in approximately 5 percent of all pregnancies.

The simple urine test could help predict the onset of this disease one to two months before the onset of clinical symptoms, and that could make a tremendous difference in outcomes for patients, in particular those women who have limited access to specialized medical care."

SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005;293:77-85