Blood test may one day predict severe pregnancy complication

By LAURA UNGAR
AP Science Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A blood test may one day be able to predict whether someone who is pregnant will develop a serious blood pressure disorder months before symptoms show up. Preeclampsia happens in around one of 20 pregnancies, usually in the third trimester, and can cause organ damage, stroke and preterm birth. A study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday shows the experimental blood test can correctly identify 75% of women who go on to develop the condition. Although the test won’t be available for a while, doctors and parent advocates say it may someday save lives.