Pre-eclampsia is a particularly pernicious pregnancy complication. It’s more common in first-time mothers, and the symptoms—high blood pressure, headaches, nausea—are relatively frequent during any pregnancy. That means a life-threatening pre-eclampsia crisis can sneak up on unsuspecting women.
Unfortunately, the most effective treatment for the disorder is delivering the baby, typically by emergency C-section, which puts the infants at further risk. But a new study published in Nature Medicine is offering hope for a better alternative.
One reason it’s been difficult to develop new pre-eclampsia treatments is because any experimental medications could potentially pass to the fetus, causing unknown adverse side effects. So, instead of adding a new drug, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University focused on removing something: a protein called soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1).
Read more: “Does Having Kids Make Mothers Age Faster?”
SFlt-1, which is secreted by the placenta to increase blood flow, circulates at abnormally high levels in women with pre-eclampsia. By passing their blood through filters with specially engineered antibodies designed to bind to and remove sFlt-1, researchers were able to lower the levels of the protein in women suffering from pre-eclampsia.
The results? Lower blood-pressure, longer pregnancies, and healthy babies.
While some women experienced rebounding sFlt-1 levels, they eventually stopped spiking and plateaued. “Even a few extra days in the womb can make a meaningful difference in outcomes for premature infants,” study author Ananth Karumanchi explained in a statement. “We found a way to potentially buy that time safely.” 
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Lead image: Stanislav / Adobe Stock
