Device Provides Continuous Monitoring of Labor Progression

A device has been developed for the continuous real-time monitoring of labor progression. The device will monitor all the vitals such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cervical dilation during childbirth. It will not only give the mother-to-be a sense of security but also will be an important tool for insurance companies dealing with malpractice suits.

About the width of an adult's fingernail, the device is inserted like a tampon. It is fitted with two unique cameras to record and monitor the mother and baby's vital signs during the course of labor, up to the time when the baby's head crowns. With a small computer attached to the future mother's leg, the device allows for complete freedom of movement in the labor ward.

Preventable disabilities such as cerebral palsy, a medical condition brought on by brain injury before, during, or shortly after birth, are still afflicting newborns. Linked to the health of both the mother and child, cerebral palsy can also be caused by accidents made by doctors and nurses during the birth process. It is currently difficult to diagnose less severe cases of cerebral palsy or mental retardation early, which are recognized when the child has grown into a toddler--when a parent notices that their child is not holding its head properly, walking, or talking like the other kids.

Birmont Medical (Granot Industrial Park, Israel) created the device, which was tested on 60 pregnant women in Hadassah University Hospital (Mount Scopus, Israel). By continuously monitoring the birthing process from within, Birmont prevents the need for repeated physical (digital) examinations by doctors, thereby also reducing infections.

The company was founded by Prof. Dr. Simon Cohen, a physicist, together with gynecologist Prof. Drorit Hochner.


Related Links:
Hadassah University Hospital
Birmont Medical