A test that could save lives during pregnancies has been given the ‘go-ahead’ to be used in Scotland by the Scottish Health Technologies Group – with all NHS boards advised to integrate the test as an part of routine maternity care.

Now recommended for use across Scotland, the test now can detect a potentially life-threatening condition in pregnancy called pre-eclampsia – affecting up to 6% of all pregnancies. The latest guidance advises that when used with other clinical assessments, the new test can help diagnose pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia poses serious risks of complications in pregnancy, thought to be linked to issues with the placenta’s development. If not monitored and treated, pre-eclampsia can lead to serious, harmful complications in pregnancies.

In 2021 in Scotland, an estimated 5,260 pregnancies involved suspected pre-eclampsia, out of the total 52, 584 pregnancies cared for by NHS Scotland that year.

NHS boards are being advised that the test is suitable for routine use during the risk assessments, to support those who may be at risk and ensure their babies receive the care they need.

This new test should help clinicians to rule in or out preterm pre-eclampsia, occurring between 20 and around 36 weeks of pregnancy, says Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Following assessment by Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s health technology group (SHTG), the test has been approved for use alongside standard clinical assessment – a decision welcomed by Scotland’s Public Health and Women’s Minister. Maree Todd said:

“The Scottish government warmly welcomes the publication of the report and recommendations from the Scottish Health Technologies Group.

“NHS boards in Scotland can already choose to offer the placental growth factor testing and these recommendations further highlight the potential benefits for pregnant women and their families.

“We expect all NHS Boards in Scotland to take note of the recommendations and work to ensure that all pregnant women who need the placental growth factor testing are able to access it as part of their routine maternity care.”

By measuring levels of placental growth factor (PlGE) in the blood, the newly approved test helps clinicians gain an insight into health of the placenta.

PlGE is a protein that helps the development of new blood vessels in the placenta. In pre-eclampsia PlGE levels can be low. Healthcare Improvement Scotland says that using this new test may particularly support groups at higher risk of pre-eclampsia, including people from African, Caribbean and Asian backgrounds and those from deprived areas.

However, the technology group advises that the test results do not indicate the severity of the condition and therefore should not be used to decide the timing of births in people with pre-eclampsia.

SHTG also advises that further research is also needed to look at how well the test can be used among people pregnant with more than one baby, and whether different thresholds for levels of PlGE are needed to accurately assess risk where there is more than one baby.

Marcus Green, CEO of Action on Pre-eclampsia (APEC), a national charity raising awareness and supporting research on pre-eclampsia welcomed the latest recommendations for Scotland.

Mr Green added that an implementation plan is now needed:

“This is the latest step in a long journey for this lifesaving, timesaving and cost saving test and we now need to see a very clear path to funding and implementation.”

Read more: Deprivation remains key factor in young pregnancies; Insight: Early childhood development inequalities; Health poverty hits children halfway through pregnancy; Public health concerns voiced for Ayrshire's children

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