Blood test to detect gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and hypertension

A pioneering sensor developed at the University of Queensland promises to transform the way pregnancy complications are detected, offering a rapid, non-invasive blood test that can identify risks like gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and hypertension as early as 11 weeks.

Professor Carlos Salomon Gallo from UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research highlighted the sensor’s potential in identifying health complications that often remain undetected until much later in pregnancy.

“During our study we collected blood samples from 201 pregnant women at 11-13 weeks gestation and we detected possible complications, such as preterm birth, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy,” Professor Salomon Gallo said. “These complications during pregnancy can have significant health risks, both in the short term and long-term.”

Currently, pregnancy complications typically aren’t identified until the second or third trimester, which can make timely intervention difficult. This new technology could change that by providing critical early warning signals.

“Currently, most pregnancy complications cannot be identified until the second or third trimester, which means it can sometimes be too late for effective intervention,” Professor Salomon Gallo explained. “However, with this technology, pregnant women will be able to seek medical intervention much earlier. We also found our biosensor has more than 90% accuracy in identifying women at risk of developing pregnancy complications.”

Dr Mostafa Kamal Masud from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) added that the sensor works by analysing extracellular vesicles – referred to as the ‘body’s text messages’ – which transmit vital signals between maternal and foetal cells during pregnancy.

“This technology has been developed using nanomaterials to detect low concentrations of biomarkers, which are parts of our cells that show health complications we might be carrying,” Dr Masud said. “This is what makes our technology more sensitive than current testing methods and why it can pick up potential pregnancy complications much earlier.”

The potential impact is enormous. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 30,000 babies born in Australia each year suffer from growth and developmental impairments due to pregnancy complications.

Professor Salomon Gallo believes this technology could save millions by reducing the need for neonatal intensive care unit admissions, which cost up to $10,000 per day, as well as cutting down on expensive emergency interventions like caesarean sections, which can cost up to $20,000 each.

“This has the potential to revolutionise earlier risk assessment and interventions, improving clinical decision-making in obstetric care,” Professor Salomon Gallo said.

Professor Yusuke Yamauchi from AIBN expressed hope that the sensor will soon be available to the public, either through pharmacies or GP referrals.

“Once we’ve fully completed our research, this technology has the potential to significantly impact health care for mothers and their babies,” Professor Yamauchi said.

Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their study with a clinical trial involving at least 2,000 women. This research is a collaboration between UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research, AIBN, and Ochsner Medical Centre in New Orleans, with backing from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Cancer Council Queensland, the JST-ERATO Yamauchi Materials Space-Tectonics Project, and the ARC Australian Laureate Fellowship.

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