New sensor to detect unborn baby's heart

Scientists have developed an effective sensor that can allow pregnant women to measure the heartbeat of their unborn baby from the comfort of their homes. The tool developed by researchers at the University of Sussex in the UK could help detect heart-related congenital disorders during pregnancy or highlight the need for medical interventions due to complications such as premature delivery or umbilical cord compression.          

The technology would also greatly benefit women experiencing high-risk pregnancy factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure, who require regular monitoring to ensure the wellbeing of their baby.

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"Currently expectant mothers with health concerns about their babies have to go through the stress of going to hospital to check on the heartbeat of their child," said Elizabeth Rendon-Morales, a lecturer at the University of Sussex.

"With this new technology, they will be able to do this from the comfort of their own home, which will be much better for the welfare of mother and baby," said Rendon-Morales.

The research is the first significant update in the technology used to measure babies' heart rates for 40 years and moves away from the existing use of silver chloride electrodes, researchers said.

Instead, the University of Sussex has developed an electrometer-based amplifier prototype using Electric Potential Sensing (EPS) technology, which allows for in utero foetal electrocardiogram monitoring by just placing the device on top of the skin of the pregnant mother's abdomen in a non-invasive way.

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Although there are some home-based foetal electrocardiograms available commercially, they are considered not suitable for daily or medical usage because of concerns around their accuracy and portability.

"This technology is a step forward for home-based medical devices, benefiting not only health service providers though resource optimization, but also expectant mothers who are experiencing a very exciting, but sometimes stressful, moment in their lives," said Rodrigo Aviles-Espinosa, a research fellow at the University of Sussex.

"This technology will give peace of mind in providing answers very quickly and ultimately ensuring the baby's wellbeing," Aviles-Espinosa.

The technology can record information required to calculate foetal heart rate values and variability with high accuracy.

This can be used to clinically assess congenital cardiac diseases such as arrhythmia and to monitor processes associated with body auto regulation such as blood pressure and heart vascular tone.

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The electrocardiogram can isolate the baby's heartbeat from the mother's with pinpoint accuracy, providing a simple reading without the need for any additional processing.

It also removes the need for a special gel to be applied to the skin. This is necessary when using silver chloride electrodes, in order to establish a reading, but the process can produce inaccurate readings.

"Although the ultrasound procedure is described as being non-invasive, having gel rubbed on your skin and then an electrode pressed against your womb is invasive and can be an uncomfortable experience for mothers," said Rendon-Morales.

"With this new heart monitor, expectant mothers can get reassurance that their baby is doing fine within a few seconds, removing the unnecessary stress and worry that waiting for a hospital scan currently involves," he said.