‘Stay tuned’
Vesna D. Garovic, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and chair of the 2021 AHA Scientific Statement, “Hypertension in Pregnancy: Diagnosis, Blood Pressure Goals, and Pharmacotherapy,” agrees.
The new data “set the stage for adequately designed and powered studies that will provide ultimate response/evidence regarding the efficacy of this approach,” she told this news organization.
“Future studies need to address the safety of this approach,” she added, “as close to 10 timed/planned deliveries will be needed to prevent one case of preeclampsia.”
For now, she said, “While these preliminary data are promising, they are not sufficient to adopt timed birth in daily practice. Prospective studies that will provide sufficient evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of this approach are likely to follow. Stay tuned.”
Indeed, Dr. Magee noted that the Fetal Medicine Foundation is about to launch a randomized trial of a personalized “timing of birth” strategy at term based on the preeclampsia risk described in her group’s study vs. usual care at term – that is, “watchful waiting, and delivery should preeclampsia or another indication for birth develop.”
The study was supported by grants from the Fetal Medicine Foundation, United Kingdom, and various biotech companies provided reagents and relevant equipment free of charge. Dr. Magee and Dr. Garovic reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.