Just a blood test....predict improper growth of fetus

  Published on June 22, 2012Researchers from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) have found a protein in the blood of pregnant women that can predict if they are likely to have a fetus that doesn't grow properly, and thus has a high risk of stillbirth and long-term health complications. The research, led by Dr. Andr-e Gruslin, could lead to a widely available blood test and could help develop ways for improving the outcomes of women and their children who face this risk - estimated to be as many as one of every 20 pregnancies.Dr. Gruslin's study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, focuses on a protein called Insulin Growth Factor Binding Protein 4 (IGFBP-4). While this protein has been linked to pregnancy before, this study is the first to demonstrate its important role in human pregnancy complications. A key part of the study involved examining IGFBP-4 levels in first trimester blood samples from women who participated in a large study of pregnancies and newborns called the Ottawa and Kingston (OaK) birth cohort.Dr. Gruslin found that women with high levels of IGFBP-4 were 22 times more likely to give birth to tiny babies (defined as the smallest five per cent by weight for their gestational age), than women with normal levels of IGFBP-4. This part of the study involved a total of 72 women - half with tiny babies and half with normal weight babies."Usually, we don't find out until later in a pregnancy that a fetus isn't growing properly, but this test can tell us in the first trimester if there's likely to be a problem," said Dr. Gruslin, a Scientist at OHRI, High Risk Obstetrician at The Ottawa Hospital and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at uOttawa. "By identifying these high-risk pregnancies early on, we will be able to monitor these women more closely and hopefully help them deliver a healthier baby."