Early pregnancy risk test using cervical (Pap-smear) fluid
Official title: Assay development for the assessment of pregnancy risks in early pregnancy
Funded at Akna Health LLC · NIH-11069534 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a Pap-smear-like cervical sample to look for markers in the first trimester that might signal risks like preeclampsia or poor fetal growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Akna Health LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Grand Rapids, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,949,879 |
| NIH project number | 2R44EB033715-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11069534 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people in their first trimester who are willing to provide a cervical sample and allow pregnancy follow-up would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant, are past the first trimester, or already have a confirmed diagnosis that the test would not change may not benefit.
What this research studies
If I join, a small cervical sample will be taken in the clinic using the same simple procedure as a Pap smear. Researchers will look for placenta-derived (trophoblast) biomarkers in that fluid and use machine learning on an initial group of 100 people and a larger group of 500 to find a reliable marker panel. The team is also making specific antibodies to improve the test and adapting the method so it can work on common lab machines like flow cytometers. Participation involves sample collection and routine pregnancy follow-up so researchers can compare early markers to pregnancy outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the test could spot high-risk pregnancies earlier in the first trimester so people can get closer monitoring or earlier treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot data were promising, but this larger validation is needed to confirm the test works reliably in more people.
Where this research is happening
-
Akna Health LLC
Grand Rapids, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drewlo, Sascha — Akna Health LLC
- Study coordinator: Drewlo, Sascha
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How air pollution during pregnancy affects fetal growth over time
This study looks at how air pollution affects the growth of babies in the womb during pregnancy, using ultrasound images to track changes over time, and it aims to help expectant parents understand when their babies might be most at risk from pollution.
-
Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
-
HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies
A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.
-
Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
-
Blocking cancer-causing cMYC tricks after pregnancy changes in the breast
Researchers are testing how pregnancy and aging reshape the breast before cancer risk, using patient-reinformed models to see if it changes how dangerous cMYC signals behave.
-
SSRI use during pregnancy: effects on placental blood flow and inflammation
This grant studies how antidepressants (SSRIs) used during pregnancy might affect the placenta and inflammation, and whether a 5-HT2 receptor blocker could mitigate any negative effects.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.