Healthier Pregnancies: Safe Technique For Delivering Drugs To Placenta Discovered

Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered a safe way to deliver drugs to the placenta. This has a lot of potential for treating complications in pregnancy without harming the fetus.

The scientists have discovered the peptides can also be used to deliver drugs to the placenta. Peptides are "chains of amino acids that are used to selectively target cancer tumors," the Daily Mail reported. 

"Our findings emphasize the similarities between placentas and tumors," said Erkki Ruoslahti, Ph.D., one of the researchers, via Market Wired. Ruoslahti is a professor at Sanford-Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute's (SBP) NCI-Designated Cancer Center, and adjunct professor at the Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Safe method devised to deliver #drugs to a pregnant woman's placenta without harming foetus https://t.co/rxNs9HsFGe pic.twitter.com/8wctulclzr

— BBSRC (@BBSRC) May 9, 2016

Placenta Cause Of Pregnancy Complications

There are a number of pregnancy complications that arise because of improper growth or malfunction of the placenta, reported Market Wired. At present, there are no drugs to treat these complications while the baby is still in the womb.

The use of peptides to deliver drugs to the placenta offers a way out. The current practice of induced labor to deal with pregnancy complications can be prevented and ensure that the newborn will be healthier. Induced labor is unhealthy for the baby because it increases the risk of cerebral palsy, diabetes, heart disease and infection.

Drug Delivery To The Placenta Tested In Mice

The scientists tested out the peptide delivery in mice. A growth hormone was delivered to the placenta through peptide-coated nanoparticles, Science Daily reported. Results indicate that undersized mice fetuses grew while those of normal-sized stayed the same.

There still remains the chances of harm on mothers who have undiagnosed cancers, according to Science Daily. The delivered drugs may also target their tumors but it is said that screening could address this.

Do you think we'll see this technique employed in around a year or so? Write your comments below.