NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 21 – A new system in which pregnant mothers will be monitored for any emergencies during labour has been introduced at the Nairobi Hospital.
The system known as digital obstetrics information management solution by Philips involves surveillance of both the mother and baby during labour.
Philips Healthcare District and General Manager for Africa Roelof Assies said on Tuesday that the technology would offer electronic evaluation of the mother\’s contractions and baby\’s movement, the changes of their heart rates and other crucial signs during labour.
"This system comes also with a remote device and the mothers have a belt around the belly, information is transmitted to the system and even when the mother comes back for another delivery, the information on the first baby is available," Mr Assies stated.
He said that this technology was beneficial in reducing complications in high risk pregnancies because caregivers would have access to constant and clear pictures of the patients\’ status.
"It has to be in a hospital environment, the mother has to be within reach of about 100 metres from the central station where the data is being collected which of course allows the mother to walk around and the movement is not restricted to the bed only," he said.
"This should not add additional cost to the mother," he added.
The technology is seen as one that will greatly reduce maternal and infant mortality and Kenya is the first country in Africa to benefit from it.
Currently, an estimated 7,000 women in Kenya die annually during labour while newborn deaths are 27 in every 1,000 live births.
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