Using GPRS to Monitor Unborn Babies
The Hungarian operator, Pannon has worked with medical firms to develop a fetal heartbeat monitor for expectant mothers which uses GPRS to transmit medical data from the mothers home back to the medical center.
The new solution was developed under a partnership between Pentavox, Pazmany Peter Catholic University, the National Medical Centre and Pannon.
The device is for monitoring fetal heartbeat primarily in a home environment. Processing data obtained through acoustic measurements, it provides complex information on the health status of the fetus and elevates the accuracy of diagnostics to a higher level. Monitoring covers the measurement of fetal heartbeat, uterine contractions and fetal movement in line with the relevant protocols as well as the tracking and transmission of data on other heart functions.
Acoustic measurement is done in a passive way, which provides a unique opportunity to perform such measurements over extended time periods in the mother's home. This solution offers a cost-saving alternative and increases the mother's sense of security. Fetal heartbeat monitoring ensures better protection against unexpected birth complications and enables observations not possible with common ultrasound examinations and difficult to identify also with statutory "20-minute" heartbeat measurements performed in outpatient care. As a result, the new device reduces the risk of fetal death and premature birth.
Fetal heart monitoring is based on a GSM radio device sending pre-processed and compressed measurement data recorded on GPRS media to a processing centre through the GSM network. Measurement data can also be displayed on a specially enabled mobile phone of the doctor examining the pregnant woman."
Posted to the site on 30th April 2007
