Study finds elevated levels of cell-free DNA in first trimester do not predict preeclampsia

Public release date: 11-Feb-2012
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Contact: Vicki Bendure
vicki@bendurepr.com
202-374-9259
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

DALLAS (February 11, 2012) ? In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting ?, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that elevated levels of cell-free DNA in the first trimester do not predict the subsequent development of preeclampsia.

"I wanted to identify if elevated levels of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood early in pregnancy could identify women at risk for the subsequent development of preeclampsia. I found that there is no significant difference in levels of total or free fetal DNA in the first trimester in women who subsequently develop preeclampsia," said Bob Silver, MD, with the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and Intermountain Healthcare, Obstetrics and Gynecology, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Silver conducted the study, entitled First Trimester Free Fetal DNA in The Maternal Circulation as a Predictor of Preeclampsia.

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A copy of the abstract is available at http://www.smfmnewsroom.org/annual-meeting/2011-meeting-abstracts/. For interviews please contact Vicki Bendure at Vicki@bendurepr.com, 540-687-3360 (office) or 202-374-9259 (cell), or Jacqueline Boggess at jacqueline@bendurepr.com, 540-687-5399 (office) or 202-738-3054 (cell).

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (est. 1977) is a non-profit membership group for obstetricians/gynecologists who have additional formal education and training in maternal-fetal medicine. The society is devoted to reducing high-risk pregnancy complications by providing continuing education to its 2,000 members on the latest pregnancy assessment and treatment methods. It also serves as an advocate for improving public policy, and expanding research funding and opportunities for maternal-fetal medicine. The group hosts an annual scientific meeting in which new ideas and research in the area of maternal-fetal medicine are unveiled and discussed. For more information, visit http://www.smfm.org or http://www.facebook.com/SocietyforMaternalFetalMedicine.

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Study finds elevated levels of cell-free DNA in first trimester do not predict preeclampsia