The West Wireless Health Institute has unveiled its new portable cardiotocography (electronic fetal monitoring) system. The device, which communicates either over cellular or a WIFI connection, should allow a physician to monitor fetal heartbeat and uterine contractions remotely.
“Maternal mortality remains a persistent and preventable global health challenge in many parts of the world,” said Don Casey, WWHI’s CEO. “The Institute recognizes the need and the opportunity to address this challenge with a uniquely engineered solution that leverages low-cost technologies. The ability to monitor both maternal and fetal wellbeing – at home, at work, wherever a patient may be during the course of the day – creates a far more complete picture of their condition. Ultimately, we want to help this population stay healthy and avert a preventable crisis.”
Women with high-risk pregnancies require monitoring several times each week during the last months of pregnancy, and must often alter job and family responsibilities for repeated visits to a provider. In many areas of the world, the burden is exacerbated by long distances to the nearest clinical facility. Sense4BabyTM is designed to create ease and convenience for the patient, while improving the provider’s ability to access data anywhere the patient resides.
Press release: West Wireless Health Institute Announces Development of Its First Engineering Prototype…
Image credit: Steve O’Toole