Introduction to Preeclampsia and Its Risks
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure, typically developing after 20 weeks of gestation or shortly after childbirth. It affects approximately 2–8% of pregnancies worldwide and poses significant risks, including maternal and fetal mortality. Annually, preeclampsia is responsible for around 46,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal or newborn deaths globally. Despite the availability of aspirin to mitigate preeclampsia risk before 37 weeks, no effective treatments exist for reducing risk at term (37–42 weeks).
The PREVENT-PE Trial: A New Approach
In a groundbreaking study, the PREVENT-PE trial, led by researchers from King’s College London and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explored a novel strategy to combat preeclampsia. This trial is the first to demonstrate that screening for preeclampsia risk at 36 weeks of pregnancy, followed by planned early term delivery based on the mother’s risk, can significantly reduce the incidence of preeclampsia by 30% compared to standard care.
Methodology and Participant Details
The trial involved over 8,000 women from King’s College Hospital and Medway NHS Foundation Trusts. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which received risk assessments for preeclampsia and planned early term delivery, or a control group, which received usual care. The risk assessment model, developed by the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF), incorporated maternal demographics, medical history, blood pressure, and specific blood markers to evaluate preeclampsia risk.
Key Findings and Implications
The trial’s results, published in The Lancet, revealed that planned early term birth for women at high risk of preeclampsia reduced the condition’s incidence by 30%, from 5.6% to 3.9%. Importantly, this intervention did not increase the rates of emergency Cesarean sections or neonatal unit admissions, nor did it present any additional risks to mothers or babies.
Professor Kypros Nicolaides, founder and chairman of the Fetal Medicine Foundation and senior author of the study, emphasized the significance of these findings, noting that the reduction in term preeclampsia cases surpasses what can be achieved for preterm preeclampsia with aspirin.
Practicality and Acceptance of the Approach
Dr. Argyro Syngelaki, Reader in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at King’s College London and co-lead author of the paper, highlighted the trial’s success in busy NHS maternity units serving diverse and often socially deprived communities. The high level of participation and adherence to the personalized, risk-based approach underscores its practicality and alignment with women’s preferences for their care.
Future Directions and Economic Implications
Professor Laura A. Magee, Professor of Women’s Health at King’s College London and co-author of the study, indicated that forthcoming reports will address the health economic implications of the trial and the experiences of participating women and staff. These insights will provide policymakers with essential information to consider implementing the trial’s intervention within the NHS.
The findings of the PREVENT-PE trial offer a promising strategy to reduce preeclampsia risk at term, providing a safer and more effective approach to managing high-risk pregnancies.
🔗 **Fuente:** https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-birth-term-pre-eclampsia-high.html