NEW DELHI New Delhi: A simple blood test can help doctors identify women in labor who are at risk of preeclampsia – a leading cause of maternal death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 5 to 10 percent of pregnant women develop preeclampsia (sudden high blood pressure and protein in the urine). While preeclampsia can develop as early as the 20th week of pregnancy, the study focused on identifying women who were at risk for preeclampsia if they were hospitalized in labor.
Researchers have determined that doctors can predict a woman's risk of developing preeclampsia by calculating the ratio of two blood proteins – fibrinogen and albumin – in routine blood tests performed when women in labor enter the hospital. is measured. Fibrinogen is involved in blood clotting and inflammation, while albumin helps maintain fluid balance and carries hormones, vitamins, and enzymes throughout the body. Preeclampsia may lead to disruption of both—fibrinogen may be increased, albumin may be decreased, or both. There is no universally established normal value for this fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR), which can range from 0.05 to 1 or higher. High FAR values are often associated with increased inflammation, infection, or serious health conditions, and the higher the FAR, the greater the concern.
In the study, researchers analyzed the records of 2,629 women who gave birth between 2018 and 2024, 1,819 who did not have preeclampsia, 584 who had preeclampsia with mild signs or symptoms and 226 who had preeclampsia with severe signs or symptoms. The researchers determined that people who had a higher FAR were more likely to develop preeclampsia than those with a lower FAR.
They found that the predicted probability of developing any level of preeclampsia for patients with a FAR of at least 0.1 upon hospitalization was 24 percent, and this increased to 41 percent when the value was above 0.3. If a woman in labor is found to be at high risk for preeclampsia based on FAR and other clinical indicators – such as being older than 35 or having chronic high blood pressure or obesity – the obstetrician and anesthesiologist will assess the risk. Extra precautions can be taken to reduce blood pressure and ensure that the patient's blood pressure and fluid levels remain stable and controlled.
For example, they may order more frequent blood pressure checks or laboratory tests. If the FAR indicates that the woman is at risk for preeclampsia with severe symptoms, an epidural may be placed for pain management before it becomes too risky,” the authors suggested. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York “While FAR has been linked to other inflammatory conditions, its specific application to preeclampsia and preeclampsia with severe symptoms has not been reported in such a large and racially diverse group,” said study lead author Lucy Shang from Medicine. Is.”
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