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There\u2019s no cure for women with preeclampsia other than giving birth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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For decades<\/a>, the medical community has searched for a cure for one of the most frightening and mysterious pregnancy complications:\u00a0preeclampsia.\u00a0<\/p>\n The condition is characterized<\/a>\u00a0by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, among other symptoms. If untreated, the condition can progress to eclampsia, a medical emergency that can cause seizures, stroke or death. About 70,000 women and 500,000 fetuses die of the condition every year. Women with the condition can get supportive treatment to lower their blood pressure, but the only real cure is to give birth, and\u00a0the condition may still occur after giving birth.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Researchers at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, among other institutions, created an experimental treatment for preeclampsia.<\/p>\n JHVEPhoto\/Getty<\/p>\n And if they have to give birth too early, their premature infants<\/a> are at risk of multiple major health conditions, including vision problems, breathing problems, brain swelling and death.<\/p>\n Now, a new study from researchers at\u00a0Cedars-Sinai<\/a> in Los Angeles shows the potential of a new treatment that actually targets the cause of preeclampsia. Published<\/a>\u00a0in Nature Medicine on April 27, the small study looked at data from 16 women with the condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr. Ananth Karumanchi<\/a>, director of the Renovascular Research Center at Cedars-Sinai and one of the study authors, explained that one hypothesis about why preeclampsia develops is that a malfunctioning placenta produces high amounts of a protein called sFlt-1, with toxic consequences to the body. But developing a drug to target that protein is complicated for a medical community hesitant about testing anything on pregnant women.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make SFGATE a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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