SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mirvie, a pioneer in predicting unexpected pregnancy complications, today announced the findings of the first ever “Future of Pregnancy Health” Report. The report’s actionable insights to improve pregnancy health in the United States are urgently needed. Maternal mortality is on the rise and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia, are leading causes of death and have doubled between 2007 and 2019.1
The United States is experiencing an era of declining maternal health with large economic costs and lifelong health consequences for expecting parents and babies. Unexpected complications affect one in five pregnancies2 and are a primary driver of maternal and childhood morbidity and mortality.3 Between 2018 and 2020, pregnancy-related deaths increased by nearly 37%,4 and a recent CDC study showed that 4 of 5 pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.5
In recognition of these appalling trends, Mirvie surveyed 1022 new or expecting moms in the United States, conducted by The Harris Poll, to inspire meaningful change in pregnancy care. The results spotlight an urgent need to identify who is most at risk of complications and tailor education and preventive care toward them. The study also found new or expecting moms overwhelmingly believe knowing their risk of pregnancy complications can enable proactive, personalized and preventive pregnancy care.
Most New or Expecting Moms are In the Dark When it Comes to Understanding Common Pregnancy Complications Like Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia impacts up to 8%6 of pregnancies and can happen to anyone. It typically causes high blood pressure and in severe cases, can cause temporary or permanent damage to kidneys, liver, or other organs. It can lead to seizures, a condition known as eclampsia, premature birth, and an increased risk of heart disease for moms and babies throughout their lifetimes. Awareness of preeclampsia is essential because there are preventive measures to reduce the risk of it in pregnancy, and it is critical to quickly recognize when it develops to mitigate its severity.
The survey results show current attempts to educate pregnant Americans with crucial information about preeclampsia are falling short. While most felt knowledgeable about preeclampsia, the vast majority do not know the common signs and symptoms of the complication.
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Only 1 in 10 were able to identify all of the common warning signs of preeclampsia correctly (10%), yet
- 75% report they have a good understanding of preeclampsia
- Nearly 3 in 5, report discussing their preeclampsia risk with their pregnancy care providers (59%)
- 44% report they did not understand their risk of preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications before getting pregnant
- A majority wish they knew more about their risk of preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications (67%)
- 37% report they experienced common complications such as preterm birth, preeclampsia or gestational diabetes in one or more of their pregnancies
- 44% of respondents with prior complications reported experiencing preeclampsia
“The Mirvie RNA platform can help pregnancy health enter a new preventive future by predicting complications like preeclampsia months before they occur,” said Maneesh Jain, Co-Founder and CEO of Mirvie. “By knowing who is at risk, you can begin to personalize care and target in-depth education to the moms who need it the most. This report shows there is still a major gap in education despite the best efforts of care providers and the best intentions of expecting moms.”
Opening a New Window into Pregnancy Health: New or Expecting Moms Want to Know Their Personal Risk of Complications and Expect Their Pregnancy Care to be Personalized Based on It
Currently, moms and their pregnancy care providers do not have access to tools to accurately predict pregnancy complications months before symptoms appear. This report reveals the overwhelming desire for a simple blood test to predict preeclampsia after respondents were provided facts about the condition and how such a test could enable preventive interventions like low-dose aspirin and blood pressure monitoring.
- 9 of 10 would want to take a predictive test early in pregnancy that lets them know their chances of developing problems like preeclampsia, even if it were not 100% accurate (91%)
- Nearly 9 of 10 believe knowing their risk of preeclampsia would make them more motivated to follow their pregnancy care providers’ medication recommendations (88%)
- Only 1 in 5 said a test to predict preeclampsia would add to their anxiety (22%)
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9 out of 10 say that if the test showed their pregnancy’s individual preeclampsia risk was high, they:
- Would expect that their care providers would make a personalized plan for their pregnancy care (94%)
- Would want to discuss the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia with their pregnancy care providers to make sure they know when to call them (95%)
- Would be interested in options to monitor their blood pressure at home (94%)
- 9 of 10 believe if the test showed their pregnancy’s individual preeclampsia risk was low, it would make them feel more at ease about their pregnancy care (92%)
- 46% believe access to a predictive test for preeclampsia would empower them to advocate for themselves during their pregnancy
“It's no surprise women expect a lot more innovation and personalization in their pregnancy care,” said Alison Cowan, M.D., M.S.C.R. and Head of Medical Affairs of Mirvie. “With the Mirvie RNA platform, we can soon bring life-changing advancements to pregnancy health. From targeted education, visit schedules, monitoring, medications, lifestyle changes and appropriate follow-up testing, pregnancy care will be transformed from one-size-fits-none to right-sized care for every mom. This new approach to pregnancy health is desperately needed to chart a new course for moms in the United States.”
About The Future of Pregnancy Health Report
The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Mirvie among 1,022 U.S. adults (18+) who were either currently pregnant (n=387) or had given birth within the last year (n=655). Data are weighted by race to ensure adequate representation within these groups, and where necessary by education, age, region, income, size of household, marital status, and race (only included for White, Asian and All Other completes). Data were also weighted where necessary by propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +4.0 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. The survey was conducted September 6-23, 2022.
About The Mirvie RNA Platform
The proprietary Mirvie RNA platform combines revolutionary analysis of tens of thousands of RNA messages from the baby, the placenta and the mom, with machine learning. The platform opens a new window into pregnancy health for expecting parents to act and their doctors to intervene before unexpected complications become a crisis. It enables proactive, personalized and preventive pregnancy care for the well-being of expecting parents and babies. Mirvie is conducting ongoing clinical research to validate existing peer-reviewed evidence, to enhance the Mirvie RNA platform performance, and to improve the understanding of other pregnancy complications.
About Mirvie
Mirvie is shaping the future of pregnancy health by providing women, expecting parents and their doctors with an early detection window to intervene before unexpected pregnancy complications become a crisis. One in five pregnancies is impacted by complications that lead to lifelong health consequences for expecting parents and babies. The proprietary Mirvie RNA platform uses a simple blood test to reveal vital information about a pregnancy’s unique biology and detect complications months before they occur. The idea for Mirvie was sparked by the personal experience of one of the founders whose daughter was born prematurely. Mirvie’s team of world-class scientists and entrepreneurs have brought to market category-first, non-invasive tests in both women’s health and in early cancer detection, used by millions today. Founded in 2018, Mirvie has raised more than $90 million in early-stage financing from top-tier investors, including Decheng Capital, Foresite Capital, General Catalyst, GV, Khosla Ventures, and Mayfield. Mirvie is based in South San Francisco, California. To learn more about Mirvie, please visit www.mirvie.com.
References:
[1]: Cameron, Natalie A et al. “Trends in the Incidence of New-Onset Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Rural and Urban Areas in the United States, 2007 to 2019.” Journal of the American Heart Association vol. 11,2 (2022): e023791. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.023791
[2]: Trends in pregnancy and childbirth complications in the U.S. Blue Cross Blue Shield. Published June 17, 2020. Accessed August 6, 2022.
[3]: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth
[4]: Hoyert DL. Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2020. NCHS Health E-Stats. 2022. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:113967
[5]: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0919-pregnancy-related-deaths.html
