The Pregnancy Test Every Woman Should Know About ft. Zhenya Lindgardt & Dr. Tiffany Inglis

Following the overwhelming response to the Hailey Bieber episode, SHE MD sits down with Sera Prognostics CEO Zhenya Lindgardt and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tiffany Inglis for a powerful, science-backed conversation about preterm birth, maternal health, and the pregnancy blood test most women, and most doctors, have never heard of. They unpack how a simple test taken between 18 and 20 weeks can predict and help prevent preterm birth in women who would otherwise be considered "low risk."

This conversation goes deep into the science behind the PreTRM test and the two proteins it measures. The doctors explain why other current screening methods miss nearly 80% of women who will go on to deliver prematurely, and how the preTRM® test is changing maternal care from reactive to preventive. They break down the role inflammation and placental health play in pregnancy, and how the preventive protocol used in the PRIME study helped reduce early preterm births by 56%. They also dive into the emotional, physical, and financial toll of NICU stays, disparities in maternal healthcare, and why women need better access to personalized pregnancy care.

This episode is ultimately about agency: knowing your individual risk, advocating for the care you deserve, and shifting maternal medicine from reactive to preventive. Whether you're pregnant, planning to be, or supporting someone who is, this conversation delivers the science, the resources, and the mindset shift that could change the trajectory of a pregnancy and the lives that depend on it.

Learn more here: https://pretrm.com/?utm_source=shemd&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=founders_ep

What You’ll Learn

• What the PreTRM blood test is and how it predicts your individual risk of preterm birth
• The difference between high-risk and "low-risk" pregnancies (and why most women who deliver preterm were never previously identified as “high risk”)
• How a simple test at 18 to 20 weeks can change the trajectory of a pregnancy
• Why current screening tools like cervical length and patient history only catch about 20% of preterm cases
• The two proteins the test measures and what they reveal about placental health
• The simple preventive protocol that works: vaginal progesterone, low-dose aspirin, and weekly check-ins
• The landmark PRIME study results, including a 56% reduction in early preterm birth and 20% fewer NICU admissions
• How preterm birth affects babies, families, and the healthcare system long after delivery
• Why women's health innovation has lagged decades behind oncology and other fields
• The disparities Black and Hispanic mothers face, and how the test performs across populations
• How to access the PreTRM test even if your doctor doesn't offer it yet
• How to advocate with your insurance for coverage of preventive maternal testing
• The "three-legged stool" of pregnancy health: physical, behavioral, and social factors
• Why stress, trauma, and emotional distress can directly impact pregnancy outcomes
• The future of personalized, preventive maternal care and what every pregnant woman deserves

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Key Timestamps

0:00 Welcome Zhenya Lindgardt & Dr. Tiffany Inglis

1:05 Why Preterm Birth Can Happen to Anyone

2:51 How They Met and The Story Behind Sera Prognostics

5:39 What Counts as a Preterm Birth?

6:49 The Dangerous Complications of Early Delivery

9:11 How the PreTRM Blood Test Works

13:35 What Happens After a High-Risk Result

15:08 The Science Behind the Proteins

16:16 The PRIME Study Results Explained

18:39 Why Most Doctors Still Don’t Use This Test

20:25 The Emotional & Financial Cost of NICU Stays

23:09 Why Some Women Face Higher Risk

24:39 How Pregnant Women Can Access the Test

25:54 The Stats Every Expecting Mom Should Know

33:14 The Future of Preventive Maternal Care

36:17 What To Do If You Live in a Rural Area

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Key Takeaways

• Women are driving the future of maternal health innovation
• Anyone can be at risk for preterm birth, even in a "low-risk" pregnancy
• Prevention is more powerful than reaction
• Knowledge is power, knowing your risk lets you act on it
• Your body sends signals long before symptoms appear
• A simple blood test can change the trajectory of an entire pregnancy
• Stress, trauma & emotional health directly affect pregnancy outcomes
• Every pregnancy is different and deserves personalized care
• Women's health innovation has lagged for decades, advocacy is how it changes
• It takes a woman to solve a woman's problem
• Don't wait for symptoms to ask the hard questions
• The cost of inaction is enormous, financially, emotionally & physically
• Insurance coverage lags behind science, but you can push for it
• Asking your doctor questions is the most powerful tool a pregnant woman has

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