NICE have released new guidance which recommends the routine use of placental growth factor-based tests (PLGF) to better diagnose pre-eclampsia. This move could lead to better outcomes for thousands of babies and their mothers in the future. Pre-eclampsia affects one out of 10 pregnancies and often leads to serious complications if left untreated.

Four PLGF tests have been proffered to improve short-term diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and should be combined with additional diagnostic and clinical information for maximum effectiveness.

The specific tests are:

• DELFIA Xpress PLGF 1‑2‑3
• DELFIA Xpress sFlt‑1/PLGF 1‑2‑3 ratio
• Elecsys immunoassay sFlt‑1/PLGF ratio
• Triage PLGF Test

Previously, PLGF-based tests were solely used to exclude pre-eclampsia but NICE have determined that they should now be employed to diagnose the condition. This shift should provide families with greater confidence that they will receive the correct care more quickly due to more reliable early diagnosis.

The updated guidance can be accessed in full here.