Market Challenges And Opportunities
Preterm Birth and PROM Testing Market Restraints
- High cost of prenatal diagnostic tests: Despite favorable reimbursement policies, the high cost of advanced prenatal screening solutions, such as NIPT and genetic testing, is a key factor limiting the adoption of these tests in low and middle-income countries. Additionally, out-of-pocket expenditure remains high in developing regions with inadequate insurance coverage and accessibility constraints. This impedes market growth to some extent. Players are increasingly developing cost-effective rapid diagnostic kits and expanding access programs to address affordability challenges. For instance, according to NCBI, the cost of Non-invasive Prenatal Testing ranges from US$ 800 to US$ 2,000 in the U.S. and from US$ 500 to US$ 1,500 elsewhere.
- Shortage of trained professionals in developing regions: The shortage of trained medical professionals specializing in prenatal care in rural areas and low-resource settings of emerging countries negatively impacts the adoption of innovative preterm birth testing tools and technologies. Lack of knowledge regarding best practices in prenatal screening and diagnosis also contributes to hesitation among physicians against using new products without proper training. Players are conducting awareness programs and workshops focused on prenatal testing to help overcome this barrier.
- Low sensitivity of traditional diagnostic methods: Traditional diagnostic approaches for preterm birth risk screening, such as ultrasound monitoring and pelvic exams, exhibit low sensitivity and accuracy in predicting preterm delivery. This limits their reliability for timely and proactive interventions during pregnancy. However, advancements in omics, biomarker discovery, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based risk quantification are helping enhance the capabilities of modern prenatal screening solutions. This trend will help address limitations of conventional diagnostic techniques in the coming years.