REMOTE WIRELESS ECG BASED FETAL MONITORING

IN TIMES OF COVID

As the world struggles through a pandemic, there are various new issues and problems cropping up. To help the hospitals dealing with pregnant women during the labor phase, an intrapartum remote monitoring system with limited physical contact was developed by Janitri Innovations.

Healthcare professionals including OB/GYNs are being more cautious and vigilant in screening for exposure as well as symptoms of COVID-19 for pregnant patients. To combat this,we need a more robust health monitoring system done remotely. The risk of infection to the expectant mothers and newborn babies have increased because of constant hospital visits. Doctors and SBAs(Skilled Birth Attendants) visit them frequently which increases contact. One of the ways to decrease the spread and at the same time provide care to the mother and babies in the labor room is remote monitoring.

An advanced intrapartum remote monitoring system can be installed at hospitals handling labor cases during COVID-19, which promises to spare healthcare workers from exposure. This system allows close care keeping in mind the social health standards. It will help generate the data so that authorities can manage labor remotely.

KEYAR is an easy to use and wearable Intrapartum fetal heart rate, uterine contraction and maternal heart rate monitoring device. The disposable sensor patch sticks onto the mother’s belly to read up FHR, MHR, and UC. The device also displays these parameters in number and graphical format. KEYAR communicates with a mobile application DAKSH which helps in an automated partograph generation. It keeps an electronic medical record for the mother as well as the baby. It gives a reminder to monitor the labor vitals and generates alerts in case of complications, based on an in-built algorithm. The doctor at a remote location can also view the live labor progress and guide the staff nurse.

With this intrapartum remote labor monitoring system, these problems can be taken care of:

1. COVID-19 Screening Form: In this remote monitoring system, there is a COVID-19 screening form that the doctors/staff nurses have to fill. This form consists of a few questions like the history of travel of the patients and symptoms, which will help them in the screening for COVID-19 pregnant patients. The form is for individuals as well as the household so both types of screening can be done at a place and on the basis of the symptoms entered alert will be given whether the patient is at risk of COVID or not.
2. Remote monitoring: The doctors can guide the nurses without visiting them. The progress of labor can be seen by the doctor remotely. If there is any complication, the alert on the screen will help the doctor to guide the staff nurse remotely to tackle the situation which will help in less physical contact and will be safe for the pregnant woman, the baby, and the health care workers.
3. Patient Management: This device also allows one to check multiple patients at one time. All pregnant women will be seen on one screen. Audio and critical alerts will be given based on the complications and reminders for the measurement of vitals. Based on these alerts and reminders, it will help the doctor/staff nurse to guide each other.
4. Digital Documents: This is a paperless system, automated partographs are generated and case sheets will be maintained digitally. This means less contact and less exposure.