As Preeclampsia Awareness Month approaches this May, it is important to keep highlighting the critical importance of early intervention strategies. First-trimester screening for placental insufficiency-related conditions, such as preterm preeclampsia represents one of the most significant advances in maternal care, offering a crucial window of opportunity when preventive measures are most effective. Unlike later detection methods for already symptomatic women, first-trimester screening enables healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients when placental development is still ongoing. This allows for timely intervention with preventive treatments. Early detection is particularly vital for preterm preeclampsia—the most dangerous form of the condition, accounting for about 30% of all preeclampsia cases.
By implementing comprehensive biochemical screening during the first trimester, healthcare systems can significantly reduce the burden of this condition, both in terms of costs and resources, while addressing the long-term health consequences that extend far beyond pregnancy.1
Over the past two decades, increased focus on preeclampsia research has led to a wealth of knowledge and the development of specific tools, such as blood tests and ultrasounds, for informed decision-making. Significant progress has been made in developing clinical pathways, recommendations, and guidelines for screening and managing preeclampsia. Widely offered aneuploidy screening provides the existing infrastructure for the implementation of preeclampsia prediction.2 Despite the progress made and demonstrated cost-effectiveness of these measures, showing that screening for preeclampsia is cost-saving even when implemented in a single hospital3, implementation of screening has been slow, although it has recently accelerated.
There seems to be a perception that preeclampsia is not worth screening for due to its perceived short-term effects1 and because pregnancies affected by preeclampsia are often well managed when symptoms arise. However, preeclampsia significantly impacts women's ability to work and their overall well-being after pregnancy, as well as the future health of prematurely born babies.4 Both the mother and baby after a preeclamptic pregnancy become survivors. Therefore, both short- and long-term health implications for mothers and babies make it essential to prioritize screening and preventive care.5,6
Modern medicine often focuses on treating symptoms rather than proactive preventive care.7 This has led to a hype of the development of drugs for treating and managing preeclampsia, rather than preventive medication.8 Healthcare trends indicate an increase in chronic diseases, and by allowing preeclampsia survivors to be the outcome of pregnancy instead of preventing it through screening and preventive care, we are adding to the burden.9,10 As an example, cardiovascular disease is a common chronic condition among preeclampsia survivors.11
Additionally, decreasing fertility and increasing fertility treatments are raising the number of high-risk pregnancies likely to have preeclampsia.12 Impacting the course of the future with preventive actions becomes crucial as there is an increasing lack of scarce resources in healthcare.13 The health of mothers and babies is often highlighted in low-income countries due to higher mortality rates, preeclampsia impacting greatly to these numbers.
There is no doubt that we need to prevent these unnecessary deaths, but we should not lose the sight to the fact that preeclampsia poses significant risks to all women globally. In higher-income countries, preeclampsia is causing poor pregnancy outcomes through premature births and is leading to chronic diseases and health issues for survivors.14,15 Premature birth should not be the primary treatment option.16 Advocating for equity in healthcare means ensuring that all women, regardless of location, have access to preeclampsia screening.17,18,19
Revvity has been pioneering the development of screening solutions for preterm preeclampsia, focusing on prevention from the early stages. Together with the medical community and academia, we have developed a comprehensive screening solution that is easy to integrate into prenatal laboratories. Revvity continues to innovate by listening to ongoing discussions and identifying gaps, enabling them to create new solutions for various needs.
References:
- Magee, L. A., Nicolaides, K. H., & von Dadelszen, P. (2022). Preeclampsia. The New England journal of medicine, 386(19), 1817–1832. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra2109523
- Johnson, J.M. et al. The Implementation of Preeclampsia Screening and Prevention (IMPRESS) Study. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM, Volume 5, Issue 2, 100815
- Park, F., Deeming, S., Bennett, N., & Hyett, J. (2021). Cost-effectiveness analysis of a model of first-trimester prediction and prevention of preterm pre-eclampsia compared with usual care. Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 58(5), 688–697. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.22193
- Neiger R. Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy Complications on Maternal Health: A Review. J Clin Med. 2017 Jul 27;6(8):76. doi: 10.3390/jcm6080076. PMID: 28749442; PMCID: PMC5575578.
- Chaemsaithong, Piya et al. First trimester preeclampsia screening and prediction. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Volume 226, Issue 2, S1071 - S1097.e2
- Ronzoni, S., Rashid, S., Santoro, A. et al. Preterm preeclampsia screening and prevention: a comprehensive approach to implementation in a real-world setting. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 25, 32 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07154-6
- Singh AR. Modern Medicine: Towards Prevention, Cure, Well-being and Longevity. Mens Sana Monogr. 2010 Jan;8(1):17-29. doi: 10.4103/0973-1229.58817. PMID: 21327168; PMCID: PMC3031942.
- Phipps EA, Thadhani R, Benzing T, Karumanchi SA. Pre-eclampsia: pathogenesis, novel diagnostics and therapies. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2019 May;15(5):275-289. doi: 10.1038/s41581-019-0119-6. Erratum in: Nat Rev Nephrol. 2019 Jun;15(6):386. doi: 10.1038/s41581-019-0156-1. PMID: 30792480; PMCID: PMC6472952.
- Holman HR. The Relation of the Chronic Disease Epidemic to the Health Care Crisis. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2020 Mar;2(3):167-173. doi: 10.1002/acr2.11114. Epub 2020 Feb 19. PMID: 32073759; PMCID: PMC7077778.
- Ansah JP, Chiu CT. Projecting the chronic disease burden among the adult population in the United States using a multi-state population model. Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 13;10:1082183. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1082183. PMID: 36711415; PMCID: PMC9881650.
- Seely EW, Celi AC, Chausmer J, Graves C, Kilpatrick S, Nicklas JM, Rosser ML, Rexrode KM, Stuart JJ, Tsigas E, Voelker J, Zelop C, Rich-Edwards JW. Cardiovascular Health After Preeclampsia: Patient and Provider Perspective. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2021 Mar;30(3):305-313. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8384. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 32986503; PMCID: PMC8020553.
- Fauser BCJM, Adamson GD, Boivin J, Chambers GM, de Geyter C, Dyer S, Inhorn MC, Schmidt L, Serour GI, Tarlatzis B, Zegers-Hochschild F; Contributors and members of the IFFS Demographics and Access to Care Review Board. Declining global fertility rates and the implications for family planning and family building: an IFFS consensus document based on a narrative review of the literature. Hum Reprod Update. 2024 Mar 1;30(2):153-173. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmad028. PMID: 38197291; PMCID: PMC10905510.
- Anesi GL, Kerlin MP. The impact of resource limitations on care delivery and outcomes: routine variation, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and persistent shortage. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2021 Oct 1;27(5):513-519. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0000000000000859. PMID: 34267075; PMCID: PMC8416747.
- Syed U, Kinney MV, Pestvenidze E, Vandy AO, Slowing K, Kayita J, Lewis AF, Kenneh S, Moses FL, Aabroo A, Thom E, Uzma Q, Zaka N, Rattana K, Cheang K, Kanke RM, Kini B, Epondo JE, Moran AC. Advancing maternal and perinatal health in low- and middle-income countries: A multi-country review of policies and programmes. Front Glob Womens Health. 2022 Oct 10;3:909991. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2022.909991. PMID: 36299801; PMCID: PMC9589433.
- Preeclampsia Survivors and 5 Important Long-Term Effects
- Pre-eclampsia - Treatment - NHS
- Boyer B, Huber K, Zimlichman E, Saunders R, McClellan M, Kahn C, Noach R, Salzberg C. Advancing the future of equitable access to health care: recommendations from international health care leaders. Health Aff Sch. 2024 Aug 9;2(8):qxae094. doi: 10.1093/haschl/qxae094. PMID: 39161950; PMCID: PMC11332265.
- Farrer L, Marinetti C, Cavaco YK, Costongs C. Advocacy for health equity: a synthesis review. Milbank Q. 2015 Jun;93(2):392-437. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12112. PMID: 26044634; PMCID: PMC4462882.
- Quick J, Jay J, Langer A. Improving women's health through universal health coverage. PLoS Med. 2014 Jan;11(1):e1001580. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001580. Epub 2014 Jan 6. PMID: 24399923; PMCID: PMC3882205.
Revvity Inc. does not endorse or make recommendations with respect to research, medication, or treatments. All information presented is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. For country-specific recommendations, please consult your local health care professionals.
