New pre-eclampsia screening test for pregnant women

A new screening test for pre-eclampsia launched at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) will pick up the condition sooner and could lead to healthier babies and pregnancies.

All pregnant women receiving care at OUH – approximately 7,500 a year – are now offered the test when they attend hospital for their 12-week ultrasound scan at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford or the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Pre-eclampsia is a complication during pregnancy that causes some women to have high blood pressure and protein in their urine. It impacts up to 8% of pregnancies, usually during the second half of pregnancy (from 20 weeks) or soon after their baby is born.

It adversely affects thousands of women and their babies every year and can lead to small birth weight babies, organ damage, and can be life threatening for mother and baby.

The new screening test, launched in November 2024, includes a pregnant woman's:

• medical history,
• blood pressure measurement,
• scan measurement of the blood flow to the womb (called a 'uterine artery doppler'),
• blood test measuring a protein of the placenta.

The result of the screening test will determine which women have a higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia. Those women will then be offered a small dose of aspirin every night, which can markedly reduce their risk of developing the condition.

Aspirin can prevent severe pre-eclampsia in the majority of cases when started early in pregnancy, resulting in a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby. Only women who have a higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia will benefit from taking aspirin.

Previously, signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia would be picked up during routine antenatal appointments. This new test will pick up health risks much sooner.

Dr Christos Ioannou, a Consultant in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine at OUH, said: "We are proud to announce the introduction of this new screening test for all pregnant women at the time of their 12-week scan.

"Pre-eclampsia is a common condition in pregnancy which can affect the health of mother and baby, but with improved early screening we will be able to mitigate the risks associated with the condition.

"This new approach will help prevent pre-eclampsia impacting so many women and families and ensure those who need extra treatment can get the care they need sooner."

Milica Redfearn, Director of Midwifery at OUH, said: "The earlier pre-eclampsia is diagnosed and monitored, the better the outlook is for mother and baby. We are therefore delighted to offer this new screening test to all pregnant women receiving care at OUH.

"The test has the potential to improve the health outcomes for both mother and baby, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this important development in prenatal care."

'Brilliant step forward'

Kate, a midwife working at OUH, is due to give birth to her first baby in the summer and was one of the first to benefit from the new screening test.

Her results concluded that there was a 'low chance' of developing pre-eclampsia.

Kate, who has worked at OUH for seven years, said: "I found it reassuring to have the option of extra screening. It was good to know that other factors that can complicate pregnancy are now being checked for at an early stage.

"I felt very relieved that I got a 'low chance' result, but I was prepared for if my results had come back as an 'increased chance', I would have been supported with additional care and input for this."

She described the pathway as "simple, effective, and non-invasive", adding that it "provides additional reassurance or timely access to extra input and care," resulting in enhanced pregnancy outcomes and care satisfaction from patients.

Kate added: "The screening pathway is easy to understand and to access. I would recommend it to other pregnant women who are offered the screening.

"It is a brilliant step forward in offering greater knowledge about personalised risk factors to pregnant patients and the teams caring for them to ensure appropriate care can be accessed in a timely manner where needed.

"I feel excited for my pregnancy and in very good hands with all the care received so far from the OUH team."

Pictured: OUH staff who helped introduce the new screening test and are now delivering this on a daily basis for women in Oxfordshire