Planned Early Term Birth Significantly Reduces Preeclampsia Risk, Landmark Trial Finds
A new clinical trial demonstrates that strategically planning births at term for women at high risk of preeclampsia can reduce the incidence of the dangerous condition by 30%, without increasing rates of emergency Cesarean sections or neonatal unit admissions.
Preeclampsia, a high blood pressure condition developing during pregnancy, poses a significant threat to both maternal and fetal health. Affecting 2–8% of pregnancies globally, it contributes to approximately 46,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal or newborn deaths annually. While aspirin can mitigate risk before 37 weeks, effective treatments for preeclampsia occurring at term (37–42 weeks) have remained elusive – until now.
The groundbreaking PREVENT-PE trial, spearheaded by researchers at King’s College London and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, marks the first instance of a successful strategy focused on screening for preeclampsia risk at 36 weeks gestation and tailoring delivery timing accordingly. The findings, published in The Lancet, offer a promising new approach to managing this life-threatening condition.
Trial Design and Risk Assessment
The PREVENT-PE trial involved over 8,000 women from King’s College Hospital and Medway NHS Foundation Trusts. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group – receiving preeclampsia risk assessment followed by planned early term delivery based on their individual risk level – or a control group receiving standard care.
Preeclampsia risk was evaluated using a predictive model developed by the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF), incorporating maternal demographics, medical history, blood pressure readings, and specific blood markers. Women identified as high-risk were offered planned births between 37 and 40 weeks of pregnancy, while those deemed low-risk continued with standard hospital protocols.
Significant Reduction in Preeclampsia Incidence
The trial revealed a substantial 30% reduction in term preeclampsia rates – decreasing from 5.6% to 3.9% – in the intervention group compared to those receiving usual care. Importantly, this reduction did not come at the cost of increased complications. Researchers found no statistically significant increase in emergency Cesarean births or the need for neonatal care.
“A 30% reduction in term preeclampsia, from 5.6% to 3.9%, is very important,” stated a senior author of the study. “It represents an even greater reduction in the number of preeclampsia cases than we can achieve for preterm preeclampsia with aspirin.”
Impact on Diverse Populations
The trial’s success is particularly noteworthy given its setting in busy National Health Service (NHS) maternity units serving diverse and often socially disadvantaged communities, where the burden of preeclampsia is disproportionately high.
According to a co-lead author of the paper, “The high level of participation and adherence shows that a personalized, risk-based approach is acceptable, practical, and aligns with what women want from their care. Achieving a 30% reduction in term preeclampsia, without increasing emergency Cesarean birth or neonatal admissions, represents a meaningful and reassuring improvement for women, babies, and maternity services.”
Future Directions and Economic Implications
Researchers are now focusing on evaluating the economic impact of the trial’s intervention and gathering insights into the experiences of both women and staff involved. This data will be crucial in informing policy decisions regarding the widespread implementation of the new strategy within the NHS.
“We will soon report on the health economic implications of the trial, as well as the experiences of women and staff who participated, to provide policy-makers with the information that they need to implement the trial intervention within the NHS,” explained a co-author of the study.
This research offers a beacon of hope for improving maternal and fetal outcomes, paving the way for a more proactive and personalized approach to preeclampsia management.
More information: The Lancet (2025). [www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (25)01207-3/fulltext](www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (25)01207-3/fulltext)
Provided by King’s College London.
Citation: Planned birth at term reduces pre-eclampsia in those at high risk, clinical trial finds (2025, December 4) retrieved 4 December 2025 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-birth-term-pre-eclampsia-high.html
