Toronto, ON (April 2, 2007) -- For the first time ever, a team of Toronto researchers are using a combination of ultrasound and blood tests to screen high-risk pregnant mothers for placental damage. By completing these non-invasive tests, most high-risk mothers can be reassured that their placenta is formed and functioning properly, so they can expect a healthy pregnancy. The tests are done early enough, at 16 to 23 weeks gestation, so if results are abnormal, physicians have time to improve pregnancy outcomes. ?lose to 40 per cent of high-risk mothers we see in our clinic experience placental damage,?says Dr. John Kingdom, Principal Investigator of the study and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital. The research is among the first to look at placenta health ?a vital life line between mother and fetus through which nutrients, oxygen, antibodies and hormones pass. >>> Discuss This Story
