{"id":27063,"date":"2023-06-06T07:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T07:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=27063"},"modified":"2025-12-23T01:26:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T01:26:11","slug":"study-predicting-pregnancy-complications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/study-predicting-pregnancy-complications\/","title":{"rendered":"MultiCare collaborates on study to make pregnancy safer","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Pregnancy is often a time of excitement and anticipation, yet it can also be a time of worry, particularly if complications arise.<\/p>\n

Health problems such as gestational diabetes<\/a>, preeclampsia<\/a> and premature (preterm) birth<\/a> affect one in five pregnancies, according to the biotech company Mirvie<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Many pregnancy complications go undiagnosed until symptoms appear, often in the third trimester (28-40 weeks) or when a mother gives birth. A diagnosis in this time frame can make a condition more challenging to effectively manage.<\/p>\n

But one simple blood test could hold the key to improving pregnancy care.<\/p>\n

The MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation* is collaborating with Mirvie on a research study to develop a screening test that can predict a mother\u2019s risk of pregnancy complications. Esther Park-Hwang, MD, is principal investigator of the study.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we could use a blood test to diagnose early in pregnancy the likelihood of pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth, and make a difference in how we manage the care of women with preeclampsia and other serious conditions, it would make a huge impact on the health of mothers and their babies,\u201d says Dr. Park-Hwang, an OB-GYN at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital and associate clinical professor at the University of Washington.<\/p>\n

Harnessing the power of biomarkers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Throughout her more than 25-year career at MultiCare, Dr. Park-Hwang has cared for many women with high-risk pregnancies. Board-certified in obesity medicine, she helps patients with obesity lose weight prior to conceiving \u2014 which can reduce the risk of developing pregnancy complications \u2014 supports them in getting pregnant and also guides them through pregnancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study aligns with my professional interests, and it\u2019s also very unique,\u201d Dr. Park-Hwang says. \u201cOne of the hottest areas of research right now is predictive biomarkers, and while there\u2019s been biomarker studies on cancer detection and prognosis, no one has examined predictive biomarkers in the context of pregnancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Biomarkers are characteristics, or traits,<\/a> that can indicate what\u2019s happening in the body. For example, blood pressure and weight are both biomarkers. Other biomarkers are detected through tests on bodily fluids or tissues. Biomarkers can:<\/p>\n