Diagnosing Dangerous Blood Clots During Pregnancy
Diagnosing Dangerous Blood Clots During Pregnancy
July 23, 2014
The Jerusalem Post — An index for measuring hemmorahging has existed for years. But, it is not suitable or safe for pregnant woman who undergo clotting changes during gestation. The most serious risks are separation of the placenta from the uterus or amniotic fluid embolisms.
A new way to identify clotting problems early in pregnant women has been developed by researchers at Soroka University Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Prof. Ofer Erez, who is responsible for the high-risk pregnancy unit at Soroka, says early diagnosis of these blood problems could prevent serious hemorrhages and thus save lives.
Researchs Erez and Lena Novack of the epidemiology faculty in BGU’s Health Sciences Faculty led a team that monitored the physiological changes during pregnancy to develop the unique measure. They published their findings in a recent issue of PLoS One.
When a pregnant woman comes to her doctor, her blood count and the functioning of her clotting system are registered.
The Ben-Gurion University team used a point system to assess the test results and determine a baseline to diagnose clotting disorders in such women.
Prof. Erez says the development is an important but simple tool that can speedily alert doctors about risks of bleeding in late pregnancy.
Read more on The Jerusalem Post website >>
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