SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - More than one in ten babies is born prematurely and predicting pre-term labor wasn’t possible, until now. Brigham Young University and University of Utah researchers have found a way to predict pre-term labor 80-90 percent of the time.
Jaden Cuthbert was born three months early. He is now about four pounds, but came into this world weighing only a pound and a half. His father Jake was in military training, and his mother Mari was in shock that their first child would be born early, and without her husband. "I wasn't ready. I wasn't prepared. This wasn't how I wanted it to happen." She said if they had warning there might be a problem; they could have planned for their sons’ early arrival or possibly prevented it.
A new study conducted by Steven Graves of BYU, and Dr. Sean Esplin from the University of Utah, may have predicted Mari's early delivery. A blood test between 24 and 28 weeks shows changes on a molecular level in women, who like Mari, are at risk of going into labor too soon. Graves directed the chemistry portion of the research and Brigham Young University. He says changes can be detected at 24 weeks. "They are more significantly changed at 28 weeks which would indicate that we are getting closer to an event."
The changes are in the level of peptides and small proteins. "It provides an important piece of information for the physician" Graves says. In Mari’s case hormone therapy or other interventions might have kept Jaden where he belonged longer. "These interventions may not be effective in everyone but collectively they are able to reduce the number of women who develop pre-term birth."
Dr. Sean Esplin is a U of U high risk obstetrician. He says even a few weeks can make all of the difference in how healthy a baby will be when it arrives. Babies born at 24 to 26 weeks run the risk of severe complications.
Jaden is still hospitalized at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Mari says her family was very blessed that he was as strong and healthy as he was. He continues to improve and grow stronger, but she says having even a few more weeks would have prevented some of the complications they have worked to overcome. "It would have helped with his lung development and his eye development and just generally with him being a healthier guy." She says a test providing even a warning of trouble would have been very helpful.
The method for predicting pre-term labor is patented by both universities and has been licensed by a Utah company that hopes to provide a diagnostic test for limited use in doctors offices by 2012 and on a wider scale within two years.
