Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that appears between the second and third trimesters, affects 15% of pregnant women and is characterized by an increase in blood pressure.
The origin of the problem is not known for sure, although it is related to some possible causes such as a vitamin deficiency, a genetic component or a molecular deficiency. Preeclampsia must be properly controlled because otherwise it poses a serious risk to both the mother and the baby. Untreated in time could cause problems in the functioning of the maternal blood coagulation system representing a threat to the lives of both. It could trigger premature delivery, develop birth complications and even cause the baby to die.
Its detection is very important. That is why every time we go to the prenatal visit, they take our blood pressure. But apparently, there would be a more effective way of detecting in the first trimester of pregnancy the risk of suffering preclampsia. Through a blood test that will detect VEGF165b protein levels, which is believed to have an influence on preeclampsia.
The news has been given by the authors of a study conducted by scientists from the University of Bristol (England) who found an increase in VEGF165b protein at twelve weeks gestation in women with normal pregnancies, while in women who developed preeclampsia there was hardly an elevation of that protein.
That is, if it is detected that levels have not risen, the patient is more likely to suffer preeclapsy in the last trimesters of pregnancy.
According to experts, detecting it on time would allow aspirin, which reduces the incidence of preeclampsia by 15%. Undoubtedly, early detection would be a significant advance in the treatment of the disease.
