A Melbourne woman involved in a world-first test that aims to reduce stillbirths says she hopes she can help other expectant mothers avoid the heartbreaking tragedy.
Mercy Health researchers have developed a blood test that will help doctors test if a fetus is at risk of stillbirth.
Researchers say the test, which measures a baby's oxygen levels inside the womb, could be more effective than an ultrasound.
Rochelle Haralambous had blood tests throughout her pregnancy to monitor her premature baby Tia, as part of the study.
Doctors monitored Tia to ensure she was not born too early or too late.
"If it can help any mums in the decision-making of taking that baby out of their stomach and delivering it early, then that would certainly help a lot," Ms Haralambous said on Monday.
She said the test could help her again in the future if she decides to have more children.
Lead researcher Clare Whitehead and Professors Stephen Tong and Susan Walker developed the test, which measures RNA fragments that are released when a baby is suffering from dangerously low levels of oxygen.
Dr Whitehead says the test can help doctors deliver premature babies at the right time.
"If we know how much oxygen the baby is getting we can deliver pregnancies prior to the oxygen levels becoming very low and the baby succumbing to stillbirths," Dr Whitehead said.
She says the test could be made available in three to five years.
An international clinical trial is taking place across seven hospitals in Australia and New Zealand.
One in every 135 Australian pregnancies ends in stillbirth, Dr Whitehead said.
