Pre-eclampsia study receives funding from Action Medical Research

Action Medical Research recently awarded almost £160,000 to a research team investigating why some pregnant women develop pre-eclampsia. Recent evidence suggests that the way in which a mother's cardiovascular system adapts in the very early stages of pregnancy could affect whether or not they develop pre-eclampsia later on.

Led by Dr Christoph Lees at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial College London, the research team will track hundreds of women before, during and after pregnancy to see how their heart function and circulation changes.

They will monitor the women for both pre-eclampsia and small for gestational age babies with tests, including blood pressure and heart function, carried out at regular intervals during pregnancy. By following this large group of women before and after conception, the team aims to see if differences in how their circulation adapts to the demands of pregnancy early on is associated with developing complications later.

This research could lead to earlier diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and allow doctors to more closely monitor women who may be at increased risk. It could also lead to the future development of new treatments.