Damage to the placenta -- the organ that nourishes the fetus -- occurs in about 10% of all births, and is even more common in pregnancies involving older women or assisted reproduction.
Using a combination of blood tests and ultrasound to evaluate pregnant women, Canadian researchers were detect placental abnormalities that later resulted in premature deliveries and stillbirths.
The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was designed to show that placental damage could be detected earlier than is currently possible. In the future, however, such testing could guide care, helping women and their babies-to-be.
Tests can detect damage to placenta [National Post]
*Image: National Library of Medicine
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