Graduate students at Johns Hopkins University in the US have developed a device that can detect the early signs that indicate a woman is going into labour.
The CervoCheck device consists of a ring made of medical grade biocompatible silicone elastomer designed to be compressed and inserted into the vaginal canal at a physician’s office or hospital.
It includes sensors that detect the electrical signals associated with uterine contractions, allowing doctors to step in at a early stage potentially saving lives and preventing costs associated with premature births.
Further refinement could also enable the device to help doctors delay preterm deliveries, giving the babies more time to mature, inventors said.
The inventors of the CervoCheck device estimate that the cost savings with the device can be more than $44,000 per patient for every preterm birth.
A prototype is currently being tested on animals.
