Common cholesterol treatment thought to be the solution for pregnant women suffering from this pregnancy complication
Heart disease drugs could help pregnant women suffering with pre-eclampsia
Prescribed tablets, taken by millions of Britons to reduce cholesterol levels, could help thousands of pregnant women suffering from pre-eclampsia, according to scientists.
Pre-eclampsia affects 70,000 pregnancies a year in Britain, and if the world’s first full clinical trial is successful, could provide effective treatment to many mums-to-be and their unborn babies.
“If we are successful, and I am very optimistic that we will be, this treatment will transform clinical management of women with pre-eclampsia. It will be a great breakthrough not only for mothers and babies in our country but also in the developing world,” said Professor Asif Ahmed, who is leading the survey at the University of Edinburgh.
The new trial will involve 128 pregnant women who have been diagnosed with early on-set pre-eclampsia. Around 100 expectant mums in Britain suffer from the early-onset form of the disease.
Despite researchers confidence in the trial, they stress that mums-to-be shouldn’t yet start asking doctors to prescribe them statins.
