"Funded projects such as these allow us to make a significant impact on encouraging the digitalisation of healthcare in Germany, says Prof. Bjoern Eskofier, one of the coordinators of the project and holder of the Chair of Computer Science 14 (
Machine Learning and Data Analytics Lab). At the current time, antenatal care is entirely analogue. All maternity notes listing the results of the various tests are printed out and entered in a physical booklet or antenatal folder. According to Stefan Gradl, a doctoral candidate at Prof. Eskofier’s lab, the disadvantages are that this mound of paper is liable to get lost or damaged and important results can be easily overlooked or forgotten."
In an ideal scenario, the programme will be able in future to derive sensible recommendations for action for all foreseeable situations during pregnancy based on a wide range of data. An initial clinical study with 500 test persons is planned at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen. Straightforward
wearable devices such as
smartwatches will be used as part of the study. The participants will also be given various devices to take home - a contraction monitor supplied by the start-up Bloomlife and portable ultrasound probes.
"The purpose of the study is to find out how we can make it as easy as possible for expectant mothers to carry out routine antenatal examinations themselves," explains Dr. Hanna Hübner, who is responsible for managing the study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The aim of the research is to develop as user-friendly an app as possible.
The app should be able to record and analyse measurements and forward the data to obstetric specialists. The company Refinio has been commissioned with programming the app. It is hoped that the collected data can be used to develop measures aimed at improving mindfulness and stress reduction in antenatal care. The Chair of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy is currently researching how this can be done.
There is no doubt that steps have to be taken to improve prenatal care according to Dr. Patrick Stelzl. The deputy senior consultant is in charge of the medical aspects of the project at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UKER. "Our goal is not to replace personal contact to doctors and midwives and abandon expectant mothers to technology," he explains. On the contrary - he would like to ease the pressure for all concerned. "If we can reduce the time and effort required for routine examinations, we will then have more resources to deal intensively with complicated pregnancies," explains Dr. Stelzl.
One of the central requirements of the study is to find out how to minimise mistakes during the use of the app. In this context, Prof. Peter A. Fasching, Professor of Translational Gynaecology and Obstetrics at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, emphasises that "in spite of all the advantages offered by the new technology we must still ensure that expectant mothers are in safe hands at all times." Both data protection and ethical aspects have a major role to play in determining the extent to which the new digital service will be accepted.
MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
