PhD defence: Emmeli Fredsgaard Ravnkilde Mikkelsen
Fetal membrane cells in maternal blood in term and preterm pregnancies
Info about event
Time
Location
Auditorium C114-101, Entrance C, C110, Aarhus University Hospital
On Thursday 16 January at 14:00, Emmeli Fredsgaard Ravnkilde Mikkelsen defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Fetal membrane cells in maternal blood in term and preterm pregnancies".
The first weeks and months after a very preterm birth are often stressful for both the child and the parents. Additionally, there is a risk of death and permanent damage to the child. Preterm birth is often caused by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, where the fetal membranes rupture even though there are no contractions. In these cases, the fetal membranes are weakened due to various underlying disease processes. One hypothesis suggests that these disease processes lead to the release of fetal membrane cells into the mother's blood. The perspective is to explore whether a blood sample can predict a pregnant woman’s risk of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
Therefore, the aim of the PhD study was to develop a method to identify fetal membrane cells in the mother’s blood and to investigate whether their concentration is elevated in pregnant women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
At first, the researchers identified a panel of proteins highly expressed in fetal membrane cells. Using antibodies against these proteins, it was possible to detect fetal cells in the pregnant woman’s blood within the first hours after rupture of membranes at term. However, the study found no evidence of elevated concentrations of these cells in women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
The conclusion is that it is possible to identify what are likely fetal membrane cells in the blood of pregnant women. Future studies should investigate whether their concentration increases in the weeks leading up to preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
The summary is written by the PhD student.
The defence is public and takes place in auditorium C114-101, Entrance C, C110, Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information.
Contact
PhD student Emmeli Fredsgaard Ravnkilde Mikkelsen
Mail: emmeli.mikkelsen@clin.au.dk
Phone: +45 29652328