Test for pre-eclampsia recommended for pregnant women

A test which can detect a potentially life-threatening condition in pregnancy has been recommended for use in Scotland.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has recommended the test which can identify preterm pre-eclampsia between weeks 20 to 36 of pregnancy.

Pre-eclampsia is a potentially serious complication which is thought to be linked to the placenta, affecting around 6% of pregnancies.

The test measures levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) in the blood.

Certain groups, such as those with African, Caribbean and Asian family backgrounds or those from deprived areas, are at higher risk from preterm pre-eclampsia.

Public health minister Maree Todd said: “The Scottish Government warmly welcomes the publication of the report and recommendations from the Scottish Health Technologies Group.

“NHS boards in Scotland can already choose to offer the placental growth factor testing and these recommendations further highlight the potential benefits for pregnant women and their families.

“We expect all NHS boards in Scotland to take note of the recommendations and work to ensure that all pregnant women who need the placental growth factor testing are able to access it as part of their routine maternity care.”

Marcus Green, chief executive of Action on Pre-eclampsia, said: “We welcome this advice in Scotland, which broadly mirrors the Nice (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guideline in England and Wales.

“This is the latest step in a long journey for this lifesaving, time-saving and cost-saving test and we now need to see a very clear path to funding and implementation.”