Screening for Preeclampsia

Pre-eclampsia, still continues to be a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, inspite of being an active area of research. The importance of early prediction of pre-eclampsia lies in the fact that it allows for timely initiation of preventive therapy. A combination of biophysical and biochemical markers are superior to other tests for early prediction of the development of pre-eclampsia. With the inversion of pyramid of antenatal care, preeclampsia screening in the first trimester needs to become the standard of care. Researchers now talk of predicting preeclampsia even in the third trimester to increase surveillance.