Method for using breath carbon monoxide concentration measurements to detect pregnant women at risk for or experiencing various pathological conditions relating to pregnancy
First Claim
1. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
- (a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of pregnancy-induced hypertension; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasive method for the early detection and assessment of the severity of various pathological conditions in pregnancy including pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, premature uterine contractions and intrauterine growth retardation. The carbon monoxide or end-tidal carbon monoxide concentration is measured in a pregnant woman'"'"'s breath and compared to thresholds for determining the likelihood of onset or actual onset of these pathological conditions. The measurements can be made in a clinic, hospital, physician'"'"'s office, or any other location easily accessible to pregnant women using any of a number of devices for measuring breath carbon monoxide. One solution is to measure end-tidal breath carbon monoxide using the Natus® CO-Stat® End Tidal Breath Analyzer, manufactured and sold by Natus Medical Inc. of San Carlos, Calif. This particular device allows an operator to perform non-invasive, simple and rapid, automatic sampling and analysis of end-tidal carbon monoxide in expiratory air without the requirement for laboratory analysis or highly trained personnel. Thus, the method can be employed using a device that does not required laboratory analysis or highly trained personnel, and results in an on-the-spot, immediate determination which is vital for rapid treatment of these serious conditions of pregnancy.
-
Citations
56 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of pregnancy-induced hypertension; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing preeclampsia in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of preeclampsia; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of preeclampsia in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing the HELLP Syndrome in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of the HELLP Syndrome; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of the HELLP Syndrome in response to said measured breath sample being greater than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing intrauterine growth restriction in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of intrauterine growth restriction; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing an actively laboring myometrium in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of an actively laboring myometrium; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of an actively laboring myometrium in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of detecting an increased risk of developing premature uterine contractions in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of premature uterine contractions; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of premature uterine contractions in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of detecting the onset of pregnancy-induced hypertension in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of pregnancy-induced hypertension; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method of detecting the onset of preeclampsia in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of preeclampsia; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of preeclampsia in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of detecting the onset of the HELLP Syndrome in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of the HELLP Syndrome; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of the HELLP Syndrome in response to said measured breath sample being greater than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method of detecting the onset of intrauterine growth restriction in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of intrauterine growth restriction; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method of detecting the onset of an actively laboring myometrium in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of an actively laboring myometrium; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of an actively laboring myometrium in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A method of detecting the onset of premature uterine contractions in a pregnant woman comprising the steps of:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of premature uterine contractions; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of premature uterine contractions in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
-
-
49. A method of assessing an increased risk of preeclampsia in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of preeclampsia; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of preeclampsia in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
50. A method of assessing an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of pregnancy-induced hypertension; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
51. A method of assessing an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of intrauterine growth restriction; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
52. A method of assessing an increased risk of an actively relaxed myometrium in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of an actively relaxed myometrium; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of an actively relaxed myometrium in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
53. A method of assessing an increased risk of the HELLP Syndrome in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of the HELLP Syndrome; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of the HELLP Syndrome in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
54. A method of assessing an increased risk of premature uterine contractions in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of premature uterine contractions; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of premature uterine contractions in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
55. A method of assessing an increased risk of fetal hypoxia in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of fetal hypoxia; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of fetal hypoxia in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
-
56. A method of assessing an increased risk of placental abruption in smokers according to the exposure to active and passive smoke comprising:
-
(a) collecting a breath sample from a pregnant smoking woman;
(b) measuring the carbon monoxide concentration in said breath sample;
(c) comparing said measured concentration to a reference carbon monoxide concentration indicative of placental abruption; and
(d) determining that there is an increased risk of placental abruption in response to said measured breath sample being lower than said reference concentration.
-
Specification