This article was last reviewed on
This article waslast modified on 28 October 2022.

Pre-eclampsia, an increase of blood pressure with protein in the urine, develops in about 4% of first pregnancies. Those affected are likely to be admitted to hospital for observation because about one in 50 develop full eclampsia in the last three months of pregnancy or during labour,with serious health risks for mother and child. 


In a news item in 2016 we reported that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had assessed four commercial placental growth factor (PLGF) based blood tests for the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. They had concluded that the evidence available at that time was inadequate to recommend the tests for making a positive diagnosis (‘ruling in’ pre eclampsia). However, they recommended two of the tests which had shown high accuracy in ‘ruling out’ the development of pre-eclampsia in the short term.


On 27 July 2022, having reviewed new evidence, NICE published updated guidance that recommended the use of any of the four PLGF-based blood tests during weeks 20-37 of pregnancy, along with usual clinical care, to either ‘rule out’ or ‘rule in’ pre-eclampsia. Their guidance included a helpful section headed ‘Information for the public’. Testing will help decide whether the anxiety, inconvenience and expense of hospital admission is necessary, or if monitoring can continue in the community.