Does Mid-Gestation Placental Function Assessment Reduce Psychological Distress in Women With High-Risk Pregnancies?

Women whose pregnancies are at judged to be at risk of a poor outcome from an early delivery due to medical problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are often very anxious during pregnancy, at least until they know they have passed the risk period of premature birth (after 8 months). Anxiety itself can have a significant effect on the developing baby, on the newborn child and the mother-infant bonding process. We will use a combination of pregnancy blood tests and an ultrasound assessment to check on placental function, since placental damage is the greatest cause of poor outcome. Most women tested this way will have normal results, and so may feel reassured and do better in pregnancy than untested women. The benefits may extend after birth to mother-infant bonding, breastfeeding success and a reduced risk of postnatal depression. We will randomly select an equal number of women for testing and no testing (like tossing a coin, known as a randomized control trial) to be confident that any benefits observed are genuine. The potential benefits of our research would be substantial for the mental health of many pregnant women, for their newborn and for their children as they grow up. The tests are easy to do and would add very little in terms of a woman's and in terms of the total costs of prenatal care.