SpeeDx collaborate on test for premature birth risk

Researchers at The University of Western Australia and King Edward Memorial Hospital have teamed up with SpeeDx to commercialise a new low-cost test to identify women at risk of premature birth. Dr Matthew Payne from the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology said preterm birth was the single biggest cause of death and disability in children under five years of age in the developed world.

“Every year, around 15 million babies worldwide are born premature,” Dr Payne said. “The new test will allow us to identify women at risk, early on in their pregnancy, so that they can be treated with antibiotics and probiotics to prevent premature birth.”

Read the full press release.