LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. researchers have developed a new method to assess placental health during pregnancy, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced on Wednesday.

The new method allows researchers to process magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to reveal the distinct compartments of the placenta, take measurements of oxygen levels in each region and determine if there are malformations in blood vessels.

The research team, funded by the NIH, developed analysis methods for MRI scans that are routinely collected in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Importantly, these types of MRI scans do not require contrast agents, which are only used during pregnancy for limited circumstances, according to the NIH.

The team's machine learning method automatically processes MRI data to visualize separate placental compartments, including the intervillous space, placental vessels and placental tissue.

Unlike current MRI analysis methods, which can only measure placental oxygen as an average across the entire organ, the new method can characterize oxygen levels within these discrete compartments, according to the NIH.

The new method can serve as an objective, quantitative method to assess placental health during pregnancy, said the NIH.