Скачать или смотреть KSL 5 News - Intermountain Healthcare Launches New Study to Reducing Premature Births

Intermountain Healthcare is launching the first study of its kind involving up to 10,000 women that will use a new test to identify those at risk for premature birth, and, in those with high risk, to evaluate the impact of early interventions designed to prolong their pregnancy and reduce the rate of premature delivery.

For the Prevent PTB study, half of the study participants will undergo normal medical screening to determine their risk of preterm birth. The other half will give a blood sample for Sera Prognostics’ validated PreTRM test.

Previous research of more than 5,500 women found the PreTRM test accurately identifies pregnant women at high risk of preterm birth, even if they have no previous history or other signs of the condition, such as a shortened cervix.

“This is the first time we’re able to use a blood test to identify the women at highest risk and start to intervene to prevent the preterm birth,” said D. Ware Branch, MD, medical director of Intermountain Healthcare’s Women and Newborns Clinical Program, who is principal investigator of the study.

Pregnant women will be recruited for the Prevent PTB study at five Intermountain hospitals: Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah Valley Medical Center in Provo, and McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden. Salt Lake City-based Sera Prognostics is funding the research.