Pregnancy outcomes and placental biomarkers study (PROSPER)

Background

Small for gestational age (SGA) and infants with late fetal growth restriction (FGR) are at greater risk of adverse outcomes including stillbirth, emergency caesarean section (CS) for fetal compromise and complications after birth. This study aims to establish whether a maternal blood test performed at 11-13 weeks and/or 18-32 weeks and/or >32 weeks gestation can be used to identify women and infants are at risk of these complications.

Aim

This study aims to evaluate strategies for detecting mothers and babies at an increased-risk of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy.

Progress

This prospective, cross-sectional study has recruited 819 participants over 3 years.  Recruitment continues and multiple publications have resulted from the team’s work and womens’ willingness to participate. 

Research Team: Sailesh Kumar, Jesrine Hong, Gabby Rowsell, Matthew Daly, Kate Jarrett, Helen Kay, Jasmine Wood, Elyse Fitzpatrick.

Publications

Hong J, Kumar S. Circulating biomarkers associated with placental dysfunction and their utility for predicting fetal growth restriction. Clin Sci (Lond). 2023;137(8):579-95.

Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, da Silva Costa F, Kumar S. Prediction of preterm birth in growth-restricted and appropriate-for-gestational-age infants using maternal PlGF and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio-A prospective study. Bjog. 2024;131(8):1089-101.

Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, Clifton V, Kumar S. Prediction of preterm birth in women with fetal growth restriction – Is the weekly change in sFlt-1/PlGF ratio or PlGF levels useful? Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2024;103(6):1112-9.

Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, da Silva Costa F, Kumar S. Placental growth factor and fetoplacental Doppler indices in combination predict preterm birth reliably in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2024;63(5):635-43.

Hong J, Thomas J, Kumar S. Severe fetal growth restriction secondary to placental implantation on intrauterine synechiae. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2024;64(1):120-1.

Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, Clifton V, da Silva Costa F, Perkins AV, Kumar S. The relationship between abnormal fetoplacental Dopplers, angiogenic markers of placental dysfunction and adverse perinatal outcomes in diabetic pregnancies with small fetuses – A prospective study. Placenta. 2025;160:51-9.

Hong J, Crawford K, Daly M, Clifton V, da Silva Costa F, Perkins AV, et al. Utility of placental biomarkers and fetoplacental Dopplers in predicting likely placental pathology in early and late fetal growth restriction – A prospective study. Placenta. 2024;156:20-9.

Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, Clifton V, da Silva Costa F, Perkins AV, Kumar S. Placental biomarker and fetoplacental Doppler abnormalities are strongly associated with placental pathology in pregnancies with small-for-gestational-age fetus: prospective study. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2025;65(6):749-60.

Hong J, Petersen S, Cincotta R, Thomas J, Gardener G, Chua J, et al. Fetal intracranial hemorrhagic complications following intrauterine transfusion for severe fetal parvovirus B19 infection. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2025.

Cavanagh E, Crawford K, Hong J, Fontanarosa D, Edwards C, Wille M-L, et al. The Relationship between Placental Shear Wave Elastography and Fetal Weight—A Prospective Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024;13.