#preeclampsia

[reasonsforhope]

Cure for Pre-Eclampsia is On Horizon as Researcher Discovers Lipid Nanoparticle to Deliver Directly to Placenta

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania made a critical breakthrough that is should help cure pregnancies threatened with pre-eclampsia.

"Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have made a critical breakthrough that promises better outcomes for pregnancies threatened with pre-eclampsia, a condition that arises due to insufficient blood flow to the placenta, resulting in high maternal blood pressure and restricted blood flow to the fetus.

Pre-eclampsia is one of the leading causes of stillbirths and prematurity worldwide, and it occurs in 3 to 5% of pregnancies. Without a cure, options for these patients only treat symptoms, such as taking blood pressure medication, being on bed rest, or delivering prematurely—regardless of the viability of their baby.

Making a decision to treat pre-eclampsia in any manner can be a moral conundrum, to balance many personal health decisions with long-standing impacts—and for Kelsey Swingle, a doctoral student in the UPenn bioengineering lab, these options are not enough.

In previous research, she conducted a successful proof-of-concept study that examined a library of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)—which are the delivery molecules that helped get the mRNA of the COVID vaccine into cells—and their ability to reach the placenta in pregnant mice.

In her latest study, published in Nature, Swingle examined 98 different LNPs and their ability to get to the placenta and decrease high blood pressure and increase vasodilation in pre-eclamptic pregnant mice.

Her work shows that the best LNP for the job was one that resulted in more than 100-fold greater mRNA delivery to the placenta in pregnant mice than an FDA-approved LNP formulation.

The drug worked.

“Our LNP was able to deliver an mRNA therapeutic that reduced maternal blood pressure through the end of gestation and improved fetal health and blood circulation in the placenta,” says Swingle.

“Additionally, at birth we saw an increase in litter weight of the pups, which indicates a healthy mom and healthy babies. I am very excited about this work and its current stage because it could offer a real treatment for pre-eclampsia in human patients in the very near future.”

While further developing this cure for pre-eclampsia and getting it to the market for human use is on the horizon for the research team, Swingle had to start from scratch to make this work possible. She first had to lay the groundwork to run experiments using pregnant mice and determine how to induce pre-eclampsia in this animal model, processes that are not as well studied.

But, by laying this groundwork, Swingle’s work has not only identified an avenue for curing pre-eclampsia, it also opens doors for research on LNP-mRNA therapeutics addressing other reproductive health challenges...

As Swingle thinks ahead for next steps in her research, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, she will also collaborate to further optimize the LNP to deliver the mRNA even more efficiently, as well as understanding the mechanisms of how it gets to the placenta, a question still not fully answered.

They are already in talks about creating a spin-off company and want to work on bringing this LNP-mRNA therapeutic to clinical trials and the market.

Swingle, who is currently finishing up her Ph.D. research, has not only successfully led this new series of studies advancing pre-eclampsia treatment at Penn, she has also inspired other early career researchers in the field as she continues to thrive while bringing women’s health into the spotlight."

-via Good News Network, December 15, 2024

[navybrat817]

The Pitt Spoilers...

Not me crying a few minutes into the episode thanks to preeclampsia. Took me back.

[covid-safer-hotties]

COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy may help prevent preeclampsia

A new multinational study from the INTERCOVID Consortium, including Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, has found that COV

Also preserved in our archive

[lovelyardie]

Pre-eclampsia update:

I’ve been in and out of the hospital the past two weeks. A few elevated blood pressures combined with the worst headache of my life and vision loss has my maternal fetal medicine doctor sending me to L&D. I get to the hospital and the doctors here admit me, but keep trying to tell me repeatedly that I can’t possibly have pre-e.

A little backstory- 10 months ago I gave birth to my first born, had to come early from pre-e. I never had super high blood pressure, just a few elevated BP readings in office combined with terrible headache and protein in the urine. She had to come at 37 weeks

I am almost 30 weeks pregnant with number 2, and started getting the same sort of terrible headache. It is not like a normal migraine- this is indescribable pain, vision loss, vomiting, and liver pain. But, my blood pressure is never getting super high. My MFM is concerned about pre-e again, and explained that, just like the first time I had it, it can come without severe blood pressure. But the regular OBs at the hospital refuse to believe it. Even though *the same thing* happened to me 10 months ago, they are telling me it’s not possible. They’ve had an eye doctor come in to see if im spontaneously developing glaucoma, an MRI, etc etc and everything is normal. I am even leaking protein in my urine and they are trying to tell me it’s normal. All because my BPs aren’t sky high. But the readings that are elevated are super high for me. I typically run in the 90s/60s, so getting readings in the 130s/90s IS high for me. I’m not some morbidly obese person that has baseline hypertension- this is high for me, and the levels that they had to take my daughter early for.

Im trying to find the magic combination of words to impress upon these fucking doctors that something is in fact wrong. They just don’t want to hear it. I know what is happening, they are just being intentionally obtuse. It’s literally impossible to be a woman and receive healthcare.

[findbeautyinyourbones]

My fifth and final pregnancy 💔

I don’t typically share much about my personal life on social media anymore, but I figured I’d make a post about what’s been going on recently.

I have been in and out of the hospital since November.

The first time, I went to the hospital after a series of episodes of lightheadedness and stumbling predominantly to my right side. After dozens of tests, an MRI and an MRV, my doctor found something called congenital hypoplasis of the jugular vein at the base of my skull, which they believe is a birth defect. Because of this, my neurologist suspects that I have a fainting disorder.

The next time, I went to the hospital after my resting heart rate reached 138 while at work. My cardiologist found a heart murmur and diagnosed me with tachycardia. After being admitted to Cedar Crest and being hooked up to tele for monitoring, they found that my heart rate was reaching the 160s while I slept.

I was discharged and tried to finish my last three shifts before going on maternity leave early, just so I could make Christmas happen for the kiddos, but not even a week later, I had to go back to the hospital for blood pressure concerns.

When I got to L&D for monitoring, my blood pressure was perfect. Until it wasn’t. I had few high readings after a while, but since my bloodwork came back okay and I didn’t have a history of preeclampsia, I was about to be discharged. That all changed when I developed a pounding headache and my blood pressure climbed to 185/120. Instead of going home, I was transported to Cedar Crest.

I remember feeling funny in the back of the ambulance. I became very weak and lost control of my hands. I dropped my belongings bag and heard it slide across the floor. I was able to get out the words, “am I low?” before hearing the medic scream to the driver to pull over. I have never heard someone scream like that in my entire life. All I can tell you is that I genuinely didn’t think I was going to make it to Cedar Crest. I couldnt help but to think on a loop, “Merry Christmas, kids. Your mom is dead”.

But honestly, those medics saved my life.

They came to check up on me the following day and it wasn’t until then that I was told that my blood pressure plummeted to 64/35.

While at Cedar Crest, I received steroid shots just in case I had to deliver the baby early, but the plan was to try to make it until 37 weeks.

I was discharged with an at-home blood pressure monitor and had to check my vitals twice a day until delivery. I also had two NSTs a week on top of weekly appointments with my OB.

I made it through exactly one week before I was called in to be delivered at 34 weeks and 2 days.

After over 12 hours of labor, a very tiny baby was born.

My very tiny baby that I got to hold for less than one minute before he was whisked away to the NICU kicking and screaming.

Don’t get me wrong. This whole experience was traumatic, but the most traumatic part of it was leaving my baby in the NICU over an hour away from my house and being expected to just continue life as it was.

But anyway…

Meet all 4lbs 9.2 oz of Peter.

He enjoys long naps under the heat lamp

And forgets to breathe right in front of us for fun.

He wasn’t the death of me,

But I’m sure he will be soon

PS: plz help me

[alpaca-clouds]

I am treating myself today, by writing a Castlevania story about medicine. So, I am here, in a deep rabbit hole about midwifery and what knowledge was given at any possible point, and also how anyone could possibly treat conditions that normally at the time were almost always fatal.

Fun.

This is what happens when you look at the @whumpril prompt "side effects" and for some reason your brain goes to: "pre-eclempsia". Thank you, Mama Doctor Jones.

[heardatmedschool]

Doctor: Any idea for primary prevention for pre-eclampsia?

Student: Not getting pregnant.

[cheerfullycatholic]

Family celebrates as 22-week micro-preemie goes home from hospital after 6 months

"She cried at birth. It was a little whimper, but it was a cry... she came off fighting right off the bat."

One Illinois family is celebrating a very special homecoming this week, as six month old Nyla Haywood was discharged from the hospital after her early birth at just 22 weeks. Considered a “micro-preemie” due to her small size and extremely early arrival, Nyla weighed just one pound, one ounce and was 11 inches at birth, after her mother, Nakeya Haywood, went into labor prematurely due to pre-eclampsia.  “I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia [at] 22 weeks, and from there, things just didn’t necessarily get better. And we had to make that tough decision that we had to deliver her. That was pretty much the beginning of the story,” Haywood told Fox 32. “It was a very scary time.” A medical team of at least 15 people at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox was dedicated to Nyla immediately following her birth. “Nyla’s eyes were still fused. Her tiny lungs were under-developed, and her skin was thin and translucent,” explained NICU Medical Director Dr. Corryn Greenwood. Despite this, Nyla showed signs of being a fighter from the get-go. “She cried at birth. It was a little whimper, but it was a cry. Her heart remained over 100, which for us is where we wanted it to be,” said Dr. Mario Sanchez, a neonatologist at the hospital. “So she came off fighting right off the bat.” After nearly six months in the hospital, Nyla now weighs 10 pounds and is 21 inches long. She does have some residual scarring on her lungs and is being sent home with oxygen, but is otherwise healthy enough to go home with her family. Giving Nyla a warm sendoff was a group that has coined itself “Nyla Nation” – hospital staff, friends, and family who have rallied together to support Nyla throughout her hospital journey. “We have so many family, friends who are so excited, and they prayed for us and took care of us, and everyone’s ready to celebrate this little one, for sure,” Haywood said. “I’m just grateful that she’s here, she’s healthy and she’s doing amazing.”