The invention is directed to methods of predicting gestational age of a fetus. The invention is also directed to methods of identifying woman is risk for preterm delivery. In some aspects, the methods include quantitating one or more placental or fetal-tissue specific genes in a biological sample from the woman.

Provided are systems and methods for assessing the presence or risk of obstetrical complications, particularly those related to an angiogenic and anti-angiogenic imbalance. Also provided are methods of treating an angiogenic and anti-angiogenic imbalance with water-soluble statins, such as pravastatin.

The present application relates to a method for determining a risk of preterm birth and/or low birth weight of a pregnant female comprising measuring a galectin-3 (Gal-3) level in a blood, plasma, or serum sample obtained from the pregnant female, or a kit or marker which may be used in the method. The present application also relates to a medicament effective to reduce a risk of preterm birth and/or low birth weight, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the medicament, or a method for reducing a risk of preterm birth and/or low birth weight of a pregnant female comprising administering the medicament or the pharmaceutical composition to the pregnant female.

Methods, kits and compounds are provided that relate to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of preeclampsia.

Devices based on semi-quantitative “sandwich” lateral flow immunoassay and methods of using the devices are provided to determine the presence and estimate the quantity of Flt-1 protein found in the plasma, serum, whole blood, saliva, urine or another bodily fluid of pregnant women in order to predict or screen for the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women. Assays based on the devices are also provided.

The invention relates to novel markers of preterm birth, methods for assessing the status of preterm birth using the markers, and methods for the diagnosis and therapy of preterm birth.

Some embodiments are directed to a method for the in vitro detection/prediction of imminent childbirth based on the detection of at least two of the following markers: insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), a N-terminal fragment of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1, and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Some embodiments are also directed to a device for the implementations of the method. Some embodiments are applicable in the medical field, in the diagnostic field, and in particular in the obstetric field.

The invention relates to methods and kits for diagnosing or predicting the likelihood of occurrence of preeclampsia in a subject with no history of the disease.

Methods for diagnosis to allow prediction of the likelihood of preterm birth based upon the concentration of lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase (L-PGDS) in cervical vaginal secretions. In addition, specific prostaglandin D2 receptor antagonists may represent novel tocolytic therapeutics.

The invention relates to a method of providing a prognosis for a pregnancy comprising subjecting a sample to direct mass spectral analysis, and comparing the spectra resulting from said analysis to spectra generated from samples obtained from 5 normal pregnancies. The invention describes subjecting a sample of maternal bodily fluid and/or fluids in which an embryo is cultured, or kept in, to direct matrix assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry and detection of spectral masses between 2,000 and 100,000 m/z. The changes in spectral masses, leading to changes in the profile of the spectra, are characteristic of disorders of fetal development and 10 pregnancy.