Private MD News

Home | News | Female Specific Tests

MRI tests can accurately diagnose dangerous pregnancy complication

Category: Female Specific Tests

Taking a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test may help pregnant women detect a potentially fatal pregnancy complication known as placenta accrete, a new study indicates.

The condition, which occurs when the placenta surrounding the fetus attaches too deeply to a woman's uterine wall, is most dangerous when undetected until the time of delivery, according to researchers at the University of California, San Diego.

In evaluating the accuracy of MRI diagnostic testing, doctors at UCSD studied 108 women who were thought to be at a significant risk for placenta accrete. The researchers found that MRI had a 90.1 percent accuracy rate in detecting the condition.

Risk factors include placenta previa, uterine scarring and prior cesarean births. Pregnancies after the age of 35 also increase the chances of the complication.

"Due to the increase in cesarean sections and other surgeries that leave scarring on the uterine wall, coupled with women giving birth later in life, the incidence of accrete has increased dramatically over the past 20 years," said lead researcher and radiologist Dr Reena Malhotra.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of cesarean deliveries increased by 50 percent between 1996 and 2006.

Related Articles from Private MD:

• Study may promote diabetes testing in pregnant women
  
• Doctors review cervical cancer testing guidelines
  
• Lack of vitamin D linked to infection in pregnant women
  

Share on Facebook

Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed:

News Categories:

Advanced Lipid Treatment I   Allergy Testing   Anemia and RBC disorders   Autoimmune Diseases   Bariatric Lab Testing   Blood and Blood Diseases   Breast   Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers   Celiac Disease Testing   Chlamydia   Coagulation and blood clotting disorders   Colon   Diabetes   DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing   Drug Screening   Environmental Toxin Testing   Female Specific Tests   Gastrointestinal Diseases   General Health   General Wellness   Heart Health and Cholesterol   Herpes   HIV   HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos   Hormones and Metabolism   Infectious Diseases   Infertility Testing-Male   Infertitlity Hormone Testing   Kidney Diseases   Leukemia and WBC disorders   Liver   Liver Diseases   Lyme Disease   Male Specific Tests   Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis   Musculoskeletal Diseases   Organ Specific Testing   Ovarian   Prostate   Sexually Transmitted Diseases   Thyroid Diseases   Transgender Hormone Testing-female to male   Transgender Hormone Testing-Male to Female   Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment   

Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here

Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click here to get started or call us toll-free at 1.877.283.7882. Our professionals are ready to assist you.

Back to top