Cell Free RNA Blood Test for Premature Birth
Building on research in Denmark, Stanford University biologists identified cell free RNA in mothers’ blood that can indicate a baby’s premature birth. “To figure out how to predict preterm birth, the researchers used blood samples from 38 American women who were at risk for premature delivery because they had already had early contractions or had given birth to a preterm baby before. These women each gave one blood sample during the second or third trimester of their pregnancies. Of this group, 13 delivered prematurely, and the remaining 25 delivered at term. The scientists found that levels of cell-free RNA from seven genes from the mother and the placenta could predict which pregnancies would end early.” Premature birth is the leading cause of infant mortality in the US and worldwide. MORE WITH VIDEO
Image Credit: NIH