Research shows that signs of placental dysfunction may be present early in a pregnancy. New noninvasive ultrasound technology might make early diagnosis of placental dysfunction a reality. A team of scientists supported by NICHD through the Human Placenta Project (HPP) is testing newly developed ultrasound technology that may allow them to distinguish at the beginning of a pregnancy between patients who are likely to have healthy outcomes and those at risk for complications.
New Tools
The novel ultrasound imaging tools measure both structure and function of the placenta, which researchers are working to correlate with pregnancy outcomes. The team, which is led by Alfred Abuhamad, M.D., and George Saade, M.D., is collaborating with ultrasound maker Canon Medical Systems to test the company’s new technology.
The new tools allow scientists to measure:
- The vascularization of the placenta with tiny blood vessels from the maternal and fetal circulation; lack of vascularization can lead to fetal growth restriction
- The stiffness of the placenta, a characteristic seen in preeclamptic pregnancies
- The extent of microcalcification, a process in which small deposits of calcium develop; it is often associated with problems if it occurs too early in a pregnancy
Identifying Biomarkers
Researchers are following a cohort of pregnant women by using the new tools to measure potential biomarkers and looking for ones that predict poor outcomes. The teams are based at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virgina and at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. They have collected data on more than 620 pregnancies and are using these data to establish baseline measures and to compare healthy and complicated pregnancies.
Calculating a Placenta Index
The goal of this work is to combine data generated by new ultrasound tools with standard placenta ultrasound measures and potentially other biomarkers to create a predictive score called the placenta index. Researchers hope to use the placenta index to identify high-risk pregnancies early on and provide treatment aimed at improving health outcomes.
Learn more about the team
Principal Investigator(s):
Learn more about the HPP-funded project:
Novel Tools for the Noninvasive Evaluation of the Human Placenta
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