6000 blood samples to uncover birth timing secrets

Researchers at the Statens Serum Institut aim to understand pregnancy mechanisms by examining weekly blood samples from 240 women, totaling 6000 samples. Senior researcher Heather Boyd hopes to identify genes and proteins crucial for ending a healthy pregnancy on time, thereby explaining why some pregnancies end too soon or late. Previous research has shown that certain blood compounds can indicate a pregnancy’s stage, which could be beneficial where ultrasounds are unavailable. This could enable healthcare workers to estimate pregnancy stages via a single blood test. The ‘Biological Signals in Pregnancy’ project, on hold during COVID-19, now resumes with new leadership and resources to analyze the collected samples. The project’s completion date is not mentioned.