Pregnant women could soon be able to find out much faster if they are likely to develop dangerously high blood pressure that could harm them and their unborn babies.
A high-tech heart monitor developed in Australia has been found to be able to detect pre-eclampsia in women as early as five weeks into their pregnancy.
The condition, which can be life-threatening for pregnant mothers and their babies, is traditionally diagnosed using blood pressure and urine tests after 20 weeks.
But a study published in the Journal of Pregnancy Hypertension found that the monitor, developed by Sydney-based Uscom, can detect circulatory changes caused by pre-eclampsia nearly four months earlier.
Chief executive Rob Phillips said the study results suggested that routine use of the USCOM 1A monitor to screen women early on in their pregnancies could help save lives.
"This is the first study to prove that USCOM 1A measurements detect changes in cardiovascular function long before they are detected by simple blood pressure monitors," he said on Tuesday.
"This potentially revolutionises the way we approach hypertension and all cardiovascular disease."
The USCOM 1A is already used by medical professionals as a cardiac monitor to detect heart problems and stroke risks.
The ASX-listed Uscom hopes that if its device can also be used to routinely monitor pregnant women, markets worth millions of dollars could open up to the company.
An estimated 10 million women develop pre-eclampsia around the world each year.
If untreated, the condition can cause potentially life-threatening medical problems for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby.
About 76,000 women and 500,000 babies are estimated by the World Health Organisation to die as a result of pre-eclampsia each year.
Shares in Uscom added two cents to 21 cents.
