Researchers are developing a world-first genetic test that can predict which pregnancies are at risk of complications long before symptoms arise.
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Associate Professor Claire Roberts, from the Research Centre for Reproductive Health, is leading the way to developing predictive tests for first time mothers to provide personalised and accurate risk ratings for individual pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and preterm birth.
Claire heads the Placental Development Laboratory and is recognised as a leader in her field, recently being awarded the International Federation of Placenta Associations Award in Placentology for 2009. Her research looks at the development of the placenta and how it influences pregnancy outcomes, with a focus on translating this research into diagnostics and therapeutics for human medicine and animal production.
Claire‘s research is developing methods to diagnose risk for pregnancy complications before they become symptomatic and in particular has identified how the father imparts risk in the mother and baby. Along with Professor Gus Dekker (Clinical Director), Claire leads the South Australian node of the SCreening fOr Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) project which aims to establish a unique international pregnancy biobank of samples from pregnant women, their babies, and for the first time, their partners.
With 4000 women now recruited in NZ, Ireland, the UK and Australia (Lyell McEwin Hospital), SCOPE aims to develop predictive tests for pregnancy complications that affect over 1 million mothers and their babies worldwide. This has lead to a significant biobank of samples collected from the whole cohort of pregnant women at 15 weeks, 20 weeks, and time of disease with gestational age matched controls. In addition, DNA samples from the father and baby have been collected, adding further power to the study.
Currently there are potential markers for these pregnancy complications. However, there are no accurately predictive tests. Developing a way to effectively predict these diseases has the potential to significantly improve the health of both mother and baby worldwide. Claire and the Adelaide SCOPE team are using a targeted gene approach to identify genes that determine a couple‘s risk prior to the development of symptoms and have so far identified approximately 25 genes in the mother, father and/or baby that appear to contribute to the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. They have screened polymorphisms in 79 genes selected because they play a role in placental development and function and maternal adaptation to pregnancy.
This first of its kind, the intervention program works to "Predict to Prevent", identifying risk in early pregnancy. One third of women with ongoing pregnancies experience a complication associated with maternal and or fetal morbidity or even mortality and the early screening will allow care to be matched to the personal risk profile and preventative therapies offered to those at high risk.
The group's new study Predicting Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes is currently recruiting for participants.
