Finding new treatments for pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy which can be dangerous for both mum and baby. It causes 1 in 8 stillbirths in the UK but currently, the only way to treat pre-eclampsia is delivering the baby and placenta preterm, which can cause short-term complications and lifelong disabilities.

Our blood pressure is controlled by tiny muscles wrapped around our blood vessels, which carry blood around the body. These small muscles need calcium, the mineral, to open up the blood vessel which lowers blood pressure. In pre-eclampsia the blood vessels carrying blood to the placenta become narrow which increases blood pressure. But, why?

Tommy’s PhD student, Luisa Parnell, has been understanding what might be causing this difference between blood vessels in healthy pregnancies and those with pre-eclampsia. Luisa has used cutting edge techniques to show there is decreased calcium in the small muscles around the blood vessels in people with pre-eclampsia. This could be causing the narrower blood vessels and high blood pressure in these people.

Luisa is due to complete her research this month, but this exciting work will continue through a further project starting in April 2025. In this new project, Luisa will focus on the reasons why less calcium is released in women and birthing people with pre-eclampsia, and whether specific drugs can help to increase calcium and lower blood pressure. If successful, this work could help develop the first new treatment for pre-eclampsia in a generation.

Teddy’s Wish have contributed £25,000