Simple saliva test can spot women at premature labour risk
July 22nd, 2009 - 1:03 pm ICT by ANILondon, July 22 (ANI): Researchers at University College London and King’s College London have developed a simple saliva test that may help detect which expectant women are likely to go into premature labour.
Researchers believe that early identification would allow mothers to be given steroids which help in the development of the baby’s lungs, preventing disability and death.
The study appears in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, reports The BBC.
The latest work suggests monitoring progesterone levels in saliva could provide a cheap and convenient early marker for the condition, reports The BBC.
Progesterone plays a central role in helping a woman carry babies to term by stopping the womb from contracting.
In the research, scientists studied 92 women deemed to be at increased risk of having a preterm birth, and found that the women who delivered spontaneously before 34 weeks had much lower salivary levels of progesterone than those giving birth at term, after 37 weeks.
This measurable difference in progesterone was apparent at all gestational ages from 24 weeks onwards.
Lead author Professor Lucilla Poston, from the Maternal and Foetal Research Unit at King’s College London, said: “Saliva is easy to collect, there is no need for a needle or a blood sample and it would be wonderful if in the future we only had to ask a pregnant woman to produce a small sample of saliva to know whether or not she was at risk of very early premature birth.” (ANI)
- New blood test will warn of premature births - Sep 06, 2011
- Major breakthrough in preventing premature birth - Apr 07, 2011
- Simple blood test can now predict premature birth risk - Apr 19, 2011
- Premature birth risk 'genetic' - May 25, 2010
- 'Half of all child deaths in India due to pre-term births' - May 02, 2012
- Overweight, obese mums 'at higher risk of premature births' - Jul 21, 2010
- Mom's voice perks up premature baby's condition - Mar 09, 2012
- Gum-disease linked to preterm births - Sep 16, 2010
- Complications in previous pregnancies may affect health of next baby - Jun 29, 2009
- Caesarean could pose health risk to babies - Feb 10, 2012
- Cervical length screening in women could reduce preterm birth - Feb 06, 2010
- Women living near roads more likely to have premature birth - Dec 03, 2010
- Premature births leading cause of infant deaths - Feb 11, 2010
- Pregnant women may pass toxins in GM foods to babies - May 20, 2011
- How hormone progesterone acts to prevent preterm birth - Feb 06, 2010
Tags: blood sample, british journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, expectant women, giving birth, journal of obstetrics, journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, measurable difference, obstetrics and gynaecology, poston, pregnant woman, premature birth, premature labour, preterm birth, progesterone, progesterone levels, research scientists, s college, simple saliva test, university college london, womb