Blood Test Predicts Premature Birth

The tests measure the activity of maternal, placental and fetal genes by assessing maternal blood levels of cell-free RNA, tiny bits of the messenger molecule that carry the body’s genetic instructions to its protein-making factories. The team used blood samples collected during pregnancy to identify which genes gave reliable signals about gestational age and prematurity risk. “We found that a handful of genes are very highly predictive of which women are at risk for preterm delivery,” said Melbye, who is also president and CEO of the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen. “I’ve spent a lot of time over the years working to understand preterm delivery. This is the first real, significant scientific progress on this problem in a long time.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/diagnostics/news/blood-test-predicts-premature-birth-304838?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63609833&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--VRlTP7N2FT-m1w3eTfyaBpipd3ko_kaEq4K2BlYqXcKn-YvrDLv-QYPd-KB-JqCslFRGoDz90EsU180NfRICZxN0NGw&_hsmi=63609833