Preeclampsia, a hypertensive condition that affects up to 8% of pregnancies, can be life-threatening for mothers and babies. (Image credit: Anthony Miller via Getty Images)

A blood-filtering technique could be a promising treatment for preeclampsia, a potentially deadly disorder of pregnancy that involves high blood pressure.

The new therapy is safe for both the pregnant person and the fetus, according to a new pilot study published Monday (April 27) in the journal Nature Medicine . Future trials will examine how well the treatment works, but early data hints that it can reduce circulating levels of a placental protein linked to the disease.

Now, "we're finally on the verge of developing a targeted treatment for this condition," study co-author Dr.…