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Blood-based indicators for pregnancy disorders: Advanced biophysical approaches
Rumiana Koynova-Tenchovа1, Sashka Krumova1, Anika Alexandrova-Watanabe2
1Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Insights
Advanced biophysical techniques like DSC, AFM, and microfluidics offer new ways to detect pregnancy disorders early. These blood tests provide more detailed insights than traditional methods for better maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Pregnancy disorders like preeclampsia pose significant risks to maternal and neonatal health.
- Current diagnostic methods often lack the sensitivity and specificity for early detection.
- Blood-based biomarkers are promising for non-invasive prenatal surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advanced biophysical analytical techniques for characterizing blood-based indicators in pregnancy disorders.
- To explore the potential of DSC, AFM, and microfluidics in improving prenatal screening.
- To discuss the integration of these technologies into point-of-care diagnostics.
Main Methods:
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for plasma proteome thermodynamic profiling.
- Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for nanoscale interrogation of blood components.
- Microfluidic analysis for high-throughput assessment of blood rheology and cellular properties.
Main Results:
- DSC reveals disorder-specific denaturation signatures in plasma proteomes.
- AFM identifies morphological and viscoelastic changes in blood cells and proteins.
- Microfluidics enables analysis of rheology and biomarker concentrations under flow conditions.
Conclusions:
- These biophysical approaches offer complementary, multi-dimensional characterization of maternal blood.
- They transcend the limitations of conventional biochemical assays for pregnancy disorder diagnosis.
- Integration into point-of-care frameworks promises to transform prenatal screening and precision management.
Abstract:
Pregnancy disorders, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and intrauterine growth restriction, represent a significant global burden of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Early and accurate detection of these conditions remains a critical clinical challenge, as conventional diagnostic methods often lack the sensitivity and specificity required for timely intervention. Blood-based biomarkers have emerged as a promising avenue for non-invasive surveillance; however, their full diagnostic potential is only now being realized through the application of advanced biophysical analytical techniques. This review examines three advanced methodological approaches - differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and microfluidic analysis - as applied to the characterization of blood-based indicators in pregnancy-related disorders. DSC enables thermodynamic profiling of plasma proteomes, revealing disorder-specific denaturation signatures that reflect systemic pathophysiological alterations. AFM provides nanoscale structural and mechanical interrogation of red blood cells, platelets, and plasma proteins, uncovering morphological and viscoelastic changes associated with hemostatic dysregulation and endothelial dysfunction. Microfluidic platforms offer high-throughput, minimally invasive analysis of whole blood rheology, cellular deformability, and biomarker concentrations under physiologically relevant flow conditions. Collectively, these approaches provide complementary and multi-dimensional characterization of the maternal blood milieu that transcends the limitations of conventional biochemical assays. We discuss the current state of evidence, methodological advances, translational barriers, and future directions for integrating these biophysical strategies into point-of-care diagnostic frameworks. The convergence of these technologies holds considerable promise for transforming prenatal screening and enabling precision management of high-risk pregnancies.
