Jennifer M. Radin et al. –
Every day, around the world, an estimated 830 women die from pregnancy or childbirth related causes, most in low-income countries. An additional 7000 newborn babies die each day. Many of these deaths could have been prevented. The presence of a skilled birth attendant—doctor, nurse, or midwife—at birth is important to prevent and manage obstetric complications. Supportive care from birth companions can also be helpful to women by bringing support, monitoring, and care to a woman’s home throughout pregnancy, labour, and post partum. Imagine if a digital toolkit could be given to pregnant women that combines the ability to individually support, monitor, and inform them, but does it remotely using sensors and apps. It could also incorporate artificial intelligence algorithms to identify patterns of high-risk complications before they occur and could potentially prevent them.
Read the full article in The Lancet.