Tanja Schlaikjaer Hartwig: Trio-Based Genetic Approach Unlocks New Pathways in Pregnancy Loss Research
Tanja Schlaikjaer Hartwig, Post Doctoral Researcher at Hvidovre Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn about a paper by Gudny A. Arnadottir et al published on Nature:
“EXCITING NEWS –
We are proud to share results from our groundbreaking research in the Copenhagen Pregnancy Loss study in NATURE (link in the thread below)
After years of dedicated work, our team from Hvidovre, Herlev and Hillerød Hospitals, University of Copenhagen, Aalborg University and deCODE genetics has just completed the world’s largest genetic study of pregnancy loss.
We have analyzed the genetic material from 467 families who experienced loss before week 22. Our research results have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature.
The most surprising finding? Even with the most advanced genetic technology, we can only explain approximately 55% of cases through genetics! This turns the common perception that early pregnancy losses are primarily due to chromosomal abnormalities upside down.
Our unique approach, where we examine mother, father and fetus as a unit (a ‘trio’), has given us the opportunity to distinguish between newly emerging genetic changes and inherited variants. This opens completely new doors to understanding this complex and often overlooked area.
The results from this pilot study clearly show that pregnancy loss is a far more complex phenomenon than previously assumed. The interaction between genes and environment likely plays a crucial role, which the fundamental understanding of genetics now makes it possible to better illuminate. We look forward to diving deeper into this!
We are incredibly grateful for the collaboration our results are built upon and for everyone who has made this research possible by participating in the study. This is only the beginning – we hope that our findings pave the way for new prevention and treatment options that can help many families in the future.”
Title: Sequence Diversity Lost in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Gudny A. Arnadottir, Hakon Jonsson, Tanja Schlaikjær Hartwig, Jennifer R. Gruhn, Peter Loof Møller, Arnaldur Gylfason, David Westergaard, Andrew Chi-Ho Chan, Asmundur Oddsson, Lilja Stefansdottir, Louise le Roux, Valgerdur Steinthorsdottir, Kristjan H. Swerford Moore, Sigurgeir Olafsson, Pall I. Olason, Hannes P. Eggertsson, Gísli H. Halldórsson, G. Bragi Walters, Hreinn Stefansson, Sigurjon A. Gudjonsson, Gunnar Palsson, Brynjar O. Jensson, Run Fridriksdottir, Jesper Friis Petersen, The COPL Consortium, Agnar Helgason, Gudmundur L. Norddahl, Palle Duun Rohde, Jona Saemundsdottir, Olafur Th. Magnusson, Bjarni V. Halldorsson, Sofie Bliddal, Karina Banasik, Daniel F. Gudbjartsson, Mette Nyegaard, Patrick Sulem, Unnur Thorsteinsdottir, Eva R. Hoffmann, Henriette Svarre Nielsen, Kari Stefansson
Read the full article.
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