NON-INVASIVE PREDICTION OF GESTATIONAL AGE AND PRETERM DELIVERY RISK USING MATERNAL CELL-FREE RNA
Researchers at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford, and the Statens Serum Institute have developed methods for predicting gestational age and preterm delivery risk through analysis of maternal cell-free RNA (cfRNA) from blood samples.
Most clinicians use ultrasound imaging or the patient’s estimate of last menstruation period (LMP) to establish gestational age and a rough estimate for delivery date. However, these methods are not useful for predicting risk of preterm delivery, which is a leading cause of neonatal death. Moreover, inaccurate estimation of fetal age is problematic for assessment of fetal development, even in normal pregnancies. The inventors have now shown that gestational age and preterm delivery risk can be determined by analysis of cfRNA expression profiles from maternal blood samples.
Stage of Research
The inventors performed a high time-resolution study of fetal development by measuring cfRNA in blood from healthy pregnant women during each week of pregnancy. This study identified transcript panels that predicted gestational age with comparable accuracy to ultrasound, but at much lower cost. In a related study of women at elevated risk for pre-term delivery, the inventors found transcript panels that predicted preterm delivery up to two months in advance of labor.
Applications
- Determination of gestational age using maternal blood samples
- Determination of prenatal delivery risk using maternal blood samples
Advantages
- Maternal blood samples
- Non-invasive
- Alternative to ultrasound
Stage of Development
Research- in vitro
Publications
Ngo TTM, Moufarrej MN, Rasmussen MH, Camunas-Soler J, Pan W, Okamoto J, Neff NF, Liu K, Wong RJ, Downes K, Tibshirani R, Shaw GM, Skotte L, Stevenson DK, Biggio JR, Elovitz MA, Melbye M, Quake SR. Noninvasive blood tests for fetal development predict gestational age and preterm delivery. Science. 360(6393):1133-1136 (2018)
PCT publication WO2019/084033
Related Web Links
https://quakelab.stanford.edu
Keywords
Preterm delivery risk, gestational age, cell free RNA, cfRNA, blood, serum, fetal development
Reference
Chan Zuckerberg CZB-103S, Stanford S17-297, Staten Serum Insitut SSI 15075
