 
Reducing the risk of complications in late pregnancy.
Funding of $2.37 million awarded to The Research Centre for Reproductive Health and
the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, through Dr Claire Roberts
and Professor Gus Dekker, from the Premier's
Science & Research Fund in 2005 is being used to further important work on the Screening for
Pregnancy Endpoints (SA SCOPE). Other investigators involved in this project include Associate Professor
Robyn North from the University of Auckland, and University of Adelaide researchers Associate Professor
Sarah Robertson, Professor Jeffrey Robinson, Professor Robert Norman and Associate Professor Robert
Richards.
The aim of SA SCOPE is to develop diagnostic tests to predict a couple's risk for the three main complications
of late pregnancy; preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and pre-term birth, using a simple
test on maternal and paternal blood samples. Together, these pregnancy complications afflict 19% of
all first pregnancies in Australia and cause significant maternal and infant morbidity and mortality
in Australia and worldwide.
As there are no such tests currently available, being able to predict and prevent pregnancy complications
will have personal and public health benefits, particularly for the pregnant woman, her baby and future
adult health.
For more information go to Media Release
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