Plasma miRNA Profile in High Risk of Preterm Birth during Early and Mid-Pregnancy.

In recent years evidence has been accumulated showing that miRNAs can act as potential biomarkers or targets for therapy of preterm birth, one of the most important problems in modern obstetrics. We have performed a prospective study of the miRNA profile in the plasma during the first and second trimesters in pregnant women with high risk of preterm birth ( = 13 cases and = 11 controls). For the study group plasma blood samples at 9-13 weeks before diagnosis and at 22-24 weeks after start of therapy were selected.

High-Throughput Sequencing of Circulating MicroRNAs in Plasma and Serum during Pregnancy Progression.

Although circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in maternal blood may play an important role in regulation of pregnancy progression and serve as non-invasive biomarkers for different gestation complications, little is known about their profile in blood during normally developing pregnancy. In this study we evaluated the miRNA profiles in paired plasma and serum samples from pregnant women without health or gestational abnormalities at three time points using high-throughput sequencing technology. Sequencing revealed that the percentage of miRNA reads in plasma and serum decreased by a third compared to first and second trimesters.