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We often speak about the rising maternal mortality rate, but then we fail to dig into its underlying causes. We lack standardized reporting systems, such that different states track different outcomes using entirely different systems. We must view this as not only an opportunity for awareness, but also for action.

While maternal mortality is on the rise in the U.S., pregnancy health has seen little innovation in understanding the underlying biology of disease and is ripe for change. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of the prediction of preeclampsia.

Of the nearly 1,000 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. between 2017 and 2019, more than 80% of them could have been prevented, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on September 19. 

Alison Cowan, MD, ob-gyn hospitalist and head of medical affairs at Mirvie, discusses the latest predictions for women’s health in 2023. From maternal mortality to preterm birth, Cowan dives into what health conditions will be affecting women most in 2023 and how the specialty is trying to combat these issues.

Senior editor Heather Landi spoke with Alison Cowan, M.D., head of medical affairs at personalized pregnancy startup Mirvie and a practicing OB-GYN, about how to improve and modernize the U.S. healthcare system for pregnant women.

Only 1 in 10 survey respondents were able to identify all of the common warning signs of preeclampsia correctly. However, 75% report they have a good understanding of preeclampsia and 59% report discussing their preeclampsia risk with their pregnancy care provider

It is astounding and unacceptable that over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, and it should galvanize us all to action. The best cure is prevention, and we should all do everything possible to stop these diseases before they take hold. At Mirvie, we aim to help patients and doctors by providing tools to predict preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications months before they arise.

If OB/GYNs have the technology to determine who is at risk for complications like preeclampsia and preterm birth, they can work with patients and their midwives to create a more tailored pregnancy care plan. Personalized care plans usually lead to better health outcomes for mothers and their newborns, Dr. Cowan pointed out.

In addition to giving patients and their healthcare providers more time to prepare for and begin treating a potentially early birth, according to Michal Elovitz, M.D., chief medical advisor at Mirvie, since the study results shed new light on the underlying biology of preterm birth, the findings could also be used to help develop even more targeted treatments for the condition.

Following compelling clinical results, pregnancy health startup Mirvie is poised to develop noninvasive, RNA-based blood tests that can predict pregnancy complications ahead of their symptoms.