Pregnancy
Interview: predicting pregnancy complications before they happen
The founders of Mirvie are tapping into their expertise in RNA science and oncology to address gaps in maternal health with a platform that can predict pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, before they happen.
With 46,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal or newborn deaths related to preeclampsia every year globally, there is an urgent need to tackle the burden of pregnancy complications.
Mirvie was founded to do just that, with the development of an RNA platform that can predict pregnancy complications before they happen.
RNA-based diagnostics utilise RNA molecules as indicators of disease or other conditions. Created over seven years, the platform uses a blood test to analyse RNA messages that impact pregnancy, revealing the unique biology of each one.
The platform has analysed over 15,000 pregnancies to date, and has been involved in several clinical studies, where it has been found to predict 90 per cent of pregnancies at risk of preterm preeclampsia and 60 per cent of babies with severe foetal growth restriction months in advance of delivery.
With plans for further research and to expand its global reach, Mirvie co-founder Maneesh Jain says the platform has the power to transform how we predict, prevent and treat unexpected complications.
Supporting pregnancy journeys
Jain and co-founder Stephen Quake founded Mirvie following their own pregnancy journeys, through which they discovered how quickly a routine pregnancy can result in an emergency C-section and a preterm birth.
“We wanted to make a difference for the next generation, because this is an area that has been left behind,” Jain tells Femtech World.
“There are some tests on the market that, once you are hospitalised with symptoms of preeclampsia, can diagnose if you are going to progress to a more severe disease or not.
“The challenge is that we don’t have any tests to predict and prevent the condition in the first place. So, our focus is preventive care, because once people develop symptoms, it’s too late.
“We can implement interventions such as delivering the baby early to save the mother, but that has a lot of adverse outcomes for both the mother and baby. I think moving to a preventive care paradigm is paramount in our minds.”
Preeclampsia is estimated to affect two to eight per cent of pregnancies worldwide, leading to 46,000 maternal deaths per year, and around 500,000 fetal or newborn deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.
“The statistics are pretty staggering, and preeclampsia is a challenging condition,” says Jain.
“We started with preeclampsia because it affects both the mother and the baby. There’s so much research now showing that if you have preeclampsia in pregnancy, it’s not just the childbirth process; it’s decades after that, you have a much higher risk of heart disease and stroke. So it’s really important to try to prevent these conditions in the first place, and so that’s our focus – to use our platform to detect molecular signatures of the condition.”
The platform is supported by a group of experts and is used in conjunction with a preventative care plan for pregnancies that have been flagged as at-risk.
“The preventive care plan includes medication and monitoring,” says Jain. “It may not in all cases stop the disease, but it certainly delays the onset of the condition, which is very helpful, because then the baby can be developing closer to term, and the mother can have less severe forms of disease.”
Harnessing RNA
Drawing from their background in advanced RNA science and oncology, where they had previously developed blood tests to detect cancer at the earliest stages, the pair wanted to make a difference to the modern pregnancy journey.
“Often, the approach to pregnancy is to hope for the best, and we’re largely in the dark on how things are developing,” says Jain.
“We used our background from oncology, using the idea that you can utilise RNA to tap into biology in a non-invasive manner and get a sense of what’s happening with the pregnancy.
“By looking at RNA, we can get an insight into how the development is proceeding and if it’s on track, or if it’s off track. What’s amazing is that we can now do it non-invasively with just a simple blood sample from the mother – you’re not taking a piece of the placenta or any tissue.”
Through its clinical research with a team of international collaborators, Mirvie showed that the RNA analysis could predict gestational age.
“Just by looking at the RNA signature in regular pregnancies, you can predict how far along you are,” explains Jain.
“Of course, we do it today with an ultrasound. But this finding was important because it showed that, with normal pregnancies, RNA is tracking the development very closely, and it can predict how far along you are.
“If there isn’t a predictable and changing pattern of RNA in normal pregnancies, then you really can’t look for deviations from that pattern.”
Jain says the test is already available in the US and can be obtained through telemedicine approval, with mobile phlebotomists that can take blood draws, which Mirvie then runs in its lab.
“We report the result to the patient, most often also to their treating OBGYN, and then if they happen to be positive, we put the action plan in place right away,” Jain says.
Mirvie now plans to expand globally and carry out further studies to help obtain insurance coverage for the platform.
“It seems there is a lot more innovation starting to happen in maternal health, and it’s much needed,” says Jain.
“Having worked across a few areas of medicine, I believe that this may be one of the greatest unmet medical needs that we have today, because the impact is lifetime for the mother, the baby, and the family.
“One of the things that is so important is awareness in this field, and to have more awareness of innovations in maternal health. I think that will change how much research is being done, how much investment is coming in, and how much better solutions we have that can truly advance the field.”
Mirvie was the winner of the Femtech World Maternal Health Innovation of the Year Award 2025. See the full winners list here.
Article produced in association with London Pregnancy Clinic and Spital Clinic
Non-invasive prenatal testing has been part of antenatal care in the UK since the early 2010s.
In the years since its introduction, the test has undergone significant expansion in terms of what it can detect, how early it can be performed, and how its results are interpreted.
In 2026, NIPT is also beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence at the analysis stage.
This article explains what the test currently involves, what has changed, and what the phrase ‘AI NIPT’ actually refers to in clinical practice.
How Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Works
From around nine weeks of pregnancy, small fragments of fetal DNA circulate in the maternal bloodstream. These are known as cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA).
NIPT works by extracting this DNA from a maternal blood sample and analysing it to detect chromosomal differences in the fetus.
Because the test uses a maternal blood draw rather than sampling the placenta or amniotic fluid, it carries no risk of miscarriage.
It is a screening test rather than a diagnostic one, meaning a positive result requires confirmation through a diagnostic procedure such as CVS or amniocentesis.
NICE guidance on non-invasive prenatal testing, published as Diagnostics Guidance DG46, sets out the evidence for its use in detecting the three most common trisomies.
Currently, the NHS does not offer Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) to all pregnant individuals, but rather as a contingent or second-line test for a select group deemed at higher chance of carrying a baby with certain chromosomal conditions
What NIPT Can Now Detect
When NIPT was introduced, tests typically screened for trisomies 21, 18 and 13. Detection capabilities have expanded considerably since then.
Tests available in 2026 can screen for:
- All chromosomal trisomies and some monosomies across the 23 pairs of chromosomes
- Sex chromosome conditions including Turner syndrome (45,X) and Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY)
- Microdeletions: small missing sections of chromosomes associated with conditions such as DiGeorge syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome
- Single-gene disorders, where parental carrier status has been established
Tests such as the KNOVA NIPT, for which London Pregnancy Clinic was the first UK provider, are now capable of screening for up to 100 conditions from a single blood draw.
This represents a substantial expansion from the three-trisomy scope of a decade ago.
What Has Changed in 2026
Three developments characterise the current state of NIPT in clinical practice.
First, testing is available earlier, with reliable results from nine weeks and some protocols beginning comprehensive genomic assessment from 10 weeks.
Second, expanded condition panels mean that families can choose the level of detection most appropriate for their situation, from basic trisomy screening to comprehensive genomic analysis.
Third, integrated prenatal pathways are becoming more common, combining NIPT with detailed anatomical scanning and genetics counselling rather than treating the test as a standalone investigation.
What AI NIPT Means in Practice
Artificial intelligence has entered NIPT analysis at the stage where raw cfDNA data is processed and interpreted.
Traditional NIPT analysis uses statistical models to compare the proportions of chromosomal DNA fragments in the maternal sample. AI-enhanced platforms apply machine learning to this process.
A study published in Frontiers in Genetics describes the development of an algorithm using cfDNA fragment distance analysis that improves accuracy by modelling the data in a more nuanced way than conventional statistical approaches.
In clinical practice, the most established AI NIPT platform is Panorama AI NIPT, which applies machine learning to cell-free DNA analysis to improve sensitivity and specificity for common aneuploidies and to extend detection to rarer variants.
The term ‘AI NIPT’ describes this category of platform, not a single product, and it is expected to become standard across major NIPT providers as the underlying technology matures.
The key clinical difference between AI-powered and conventional NIPT is not the type of conditions screened for but the quality of the analysis applied to the same data.
This translates to fewer false positives, fewer uninformative results and greater confidence in a negative finding.
Choosing Between Available Tests
The choice of NIPT should be guided by individual clinical circumstances and pre-test genetic counselling. For families with no known genetic risk factors, standard trisomy screening provides high accuracy at lower cost.
For those with a family history of genetic conditions or who have received an abnormal ultrasound finding, an extended panel or AI-powered test may be appropriate.
The Importance of Genetic Counselling
NIPT is a screening test and, like all screening tests, it produces a probability rather than a certainty. A positive result requires follow-up diagnostic testing before any clinical decisions are made.
A negative result substantially reduces risk but does not eliminate it. Understanding what results mean in both directions requires expert clinical input.
Pre-test counselling ensures that patients understand what they are consenting to; post-test counselling ensures that results are interpreted accurately and next steps are clear.
This is particularly important for expanded panels, where the clinical significance of some findings may be uncertain or variable in presentation.
Disclaimer: This article is produced for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Clinical guidance referenced reflects published NHS, NICE and RCOG standards as at March 2026. Individual circumstances vary; readers are advised to consult a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any information in this article.
This piece was produced in association with London Pregnancy Clinic and Spital Clinic, which provided background clinical information for editorial purposes.
Hyperlinks to external sources are included for reference only and do not represent an endorsement of any product, service or organisation.
A ‘miscarriage cradle’ is being introduced at three Scottish hospitals to help women experiencing miscarriage at home and in hospital.
The device was created by engineer Laura Corcoran after she lost her third baby.
Forced to devise her own way of collecting her baby’s remains, she came up with a solution to deal with the physical side so women could focus on their emotional loss.
Corcoran said: “My husband and I are both engineers, we went into problem-solving mode and we ended up using a kitchen sieve to collect baby over the toilet and then we used a Chinese takeout container to store baby in the fridge over the weekend, the hospital said I wasn’t allowed to bring them in out of hours and I miscarried on a Friday evening.”
Corcoran described the ordeal as ‘a really awful time’ and said she felt very vulnerable.
“It was completely undignified and it felt like I didn’t matter, my baby didn’t matter, there was nothing fit for purpose,” she added.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the first UK health board to roll out its use.
The Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow will offer the device to support women through miscarriage at home and in hospital.
It is believed to be the first time a group of hospitals in the UK has committed to embedding this type of support across multiple sites.
Laura’s invention came out of one of the darkest moments of her life, as she began to miscarry for the third time.
She was bleeding but was told there was no space for her in hospital and that she would have to manage the process at home.
Laura told BBC Scotland News: “Within the NHS, you have to miscarry three times before you are eligible for testing to try to find some answers.”
She said she asked the early pregnancy unit how to collect the baby and they said ‘just to manage’.
During her recovery, Laura became angry that she had not been given the tools she needed to navigate the process.
But then she realised it was not just her, there was nothing fit for purpose for any woman dealing with baby loss.
“Using my background as an engineer, I started cutting up cardboard, taping bits together, sketching ideas.
“When I had something, I went to the 3D printers and printed the first prototype,” Corcoran said.
After patient and clinical feedback, she arrived at the device now in use.
The device is semi-circular and sits under the toilet seat. In the centre is a removable sieve. It filters out what is not needed and keeps the baby.
It then goes into a watertight storage container which can be taken to hospital for testing, or for a burial or cremation.
Corcoran said: “It allows women not to have to think of the practical aspects, to think about the emotional aspects, the grief. It gives them some space and time.
“The possibility that you might not be able to collect the baby and get access to testing adds weight to the problem.
“To be able to collect the baby respectfully and without cross-contamination means women can get access to testing, find potential causes and then prevent them going through it again in their next pregnancy.”
Corcoran said an independent economic report for NHS England showed that 50 per cent uptake would save the NHS in Scotland £11.2m, free up 12,000 gynaecology surgery slots and save 10,000 emergency department visits.
Scotland is set to publish the UK’s first dedicated miscarriage patient charter, giving women and families clear information on NHS care and support.
Commissioned by the Scottish Government and developed with baby-loss charities Tommy’s, Held In Our Hearts and the Miscarriage Association, the charter sets out minimum standards for compassionate, clinically appropriate and culturally competent miscarriage care across Scotland.
It builds on the Scottish Government’s Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care, which has already changed practice across NHS boards.
Jenni Minto, Scottish public health and women’s health minister, said: “Miscarriage is devastating, and for too long women have not had the care and support they deserve.
“That is changing. Scotland will become the first country in the UK to publish a miscarriage patient charter, meaning women know exactly how they will be supported by health services following their loss.”
Unlike previous UK-wide norms, where women were typically offered enhanced support only after three miscarriages, Scotland’s approach means women can receive appropriate support after their first miscarriage.
The charter also sets out clear rights and expectations so every woman, regardless of location or circumstance, understands the care she should receive.
It includes access to private rooms in hospitals rather than busy clinical areas or maternity settings, progesterone treatment where clinically appropriate, compassionate and culturally competent bereavement support, and clear information in 18 languages, including British Sign Language and audio formats.
Progesterone is a hormone that growing evidence suggests may help reduce the risk of miscarriage in certain cases when given to women who meet specific clinical criteria.
The Scottish Government said the charter is designed to ensure personalised, respectful care and to address long-standing inequalities experienced by women during miscarriage.
It is intended to provide clarity on the support women can expect, consistent standards across all NHS boards, stronger awareness and confidence among healthcare professionals, and better access to emotional and practical support services.
Charities involved in its development said many women still report feeling dismissed, uninformed or unsupported during miscarriage.
They said the new charter marks an important step towards making sure every woman feels heard, respected and cared for.
The charter aligns with Scotland’s wider Women’s Health Plan, which is improving care across reproductive, menstrual, maternal and perinatal health.
Recent national developments include greater investment in women’s health services, improved training for healthcare staff, new digital and in-person support tools, and targeted action to reduce inequalities in access and outcomes.
Together, these measures aim to create a more compassionate and equitable women’s health system.
Minto said: “This charter is a landmark moment.
“It tells women clearly what they should expect from their NHS, and it holds services to account for delivering it.
“Scotland is leading the way, and I am proud of the progress NHS boards and our charity partners have made together.”
The model is expected to inform wider UK discussions on miscarriage support, bereavement care and early pregnancy services.
The charter will be made publicly available, offering women, partners and families clear guidance on their rights and the standards they can expect when seeking care.
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