Introduction:
Technology has developed so much that everything is accessible at the fingertips. Unlike in the past years, pregnant women can monitor their pregnancy with the help of app-based healthcare and can learn and utilize the knowledge to have a comfortable pregnancy period. Due to the increase in technology and mobile phone applications, people are more aware of pregnancy, its various stages, and the associated complications. And people are utilizing it to their full potential to improve the lives of new mothers.
How Does Technology Help Pregnancy?
1. Prenatal Monitoring:
Advancements in technology have led to better prenatal monitoring. The development of the fetus can be visualized by doctors at an earlier stage through an ultrasound. It can be used for checking any abnormalities in the developing fetus.
2. Non-invasive Testing:
Non-invasive prenatal testing helps to detect chromosomal anomalies like Down syndrome and reduces the need for invasive procedures like amniocentesis.
Amniocentesis involves collecting amniotic fluid and testing a small cell sample for genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. A thin ultrasound-guided needle is inserted through the abdominal wall to gather amniotic fluid from the sac, which is then sent for analysis. The procedure may cause slight pain and discomfort to the patient.
3. Telemedicine:
Telemedicine facilitates pregnant women to have remote consultations. It can be used for emergencies and helpful for women in rural areas where they do not have access to specialized prenatal care.
4. Electronic Health Records (EHR):
The recording of patient details and pregnancy-relate-dated information with the help of technology and saved for better-coordinated care and to reduce chances of medical errors.
5. Fetal Monitoring Devices:
Fetal monitoring devices are used during labor to monitor the baby's heart rate and uterine contractions. It helps the healthcare providers to take proper interventions during labor.
6. Pregnancy Mobile Apps:
Pregnancy applications have gained popularity, and everyone wants to try them. Many pregnant women use either the free or paid version of these applications to get updates, resolve their queries, and get personal assistance with pregnancy-related problems.
Engaging with pregnancy apps has become a common part of the maternity experience. There are several reasons for the increased preference for pregnancy apps. The pregnancy-related information is sourced based on many domains like healthcare, social and cultural aspects. These pregnancy apps include diverse features to attract expectant mothers with whom they can relate. The pregnancy apps are not only for educational purposes but also designed for entertainment.
Some of the common features of pregnancy apps include
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Information related to pregnancy.
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Pregnancy tracking week by week.
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Record keeping.
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Providing pregnancy care tips.
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Gestation calculation.
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Assessment of various symptoms.
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Private chat rooms.
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Video consultation with a gynecologist.
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Answering queries.
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Sale of pregnancy-related products.
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Gender prediction.
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Social networking.
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Pregnancy yoga and meditation classes.
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Baby name generators
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Social connection and support.
Drawbacks of pregnancy applications include:
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Unclear about to what extent they address the problem of expecting a mother.
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The poor quality of some pregnancy-related apps can have a bad impact on a pregnant woman.
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Providing inaccurate information.
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Privacy and security issues.
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Poor functionalities.
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Misinterpretation of information.
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Younger women and first-time mothers use mobile applications to know various information and are less likely to seek information from healthcare providers. This can lead to stress and anxiety.
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Creating more queries and confusion.
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Lack of credibility.
A pregnant woman can adjectively use the pregnancy app as suggested by the health professional ensuring accessibility to reliable pregnancy information or using hospital-endorsed apps with complementary resources. Giving supportive training and classes may help them additionally. Make the new mothers understand that every piece of information is not correct and may not be applicable to them. The pregnancy-related applications need more testing in development and design to be used in the future.
Natural Childbirth Assistor - Baidy:
Natural childbirth assistor is a medical device to assist labor by increasing intrauterine pressure. This device helps to have a natural childbirth. The device combines natural childbirth with advanced technologies to have safe childbirth, ensuring the health of the mother and baby.
'Baidy' is a natural childbirth assistor, derived its name from the words ‘baby’ and ‘aid,’ which means to help the baby.
Parts of Baidy:
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The Controller -A microprocessor-based controlled device that handles the signals and automatic expansion of the belt.
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Inflation Belt - A disposable belt uses an automation system and expands and gradually increases intrauterine pressure.
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Toco Transducer - Attached to the abdomen to detect contractions and send signals to the controller.
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Pendant - Helps in the manual or automatic adjustment of belt use duration.
Working of Baidy:
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During natural childbirth, in the second stage of labor, when the vagina is dilated to about 10 cm, the belt and toco is worn.
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As the contractions continue, toco reads the signals and slowly applies pressure to the belt. The mother starts to push the baby while the belt is swollen.
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Combining the pressure of the belt and the force of pushing from the mother, the intrauterine pressure is increased, enabling easier and faster labor.
Imaging Software Device to Detect Jaundice:
Jaundice is a common condition in newborns affecting about 60 % of newborns. It can lead to hearing loss and brain damage. The imaging system is a non-invasive way to detect jaundice before going for a blood test. Data is collected by image processing techniques, and accurate screening for jaundice is given. It is an easy and cost-effective way for jaundice screening and was successfully used in many kids.
What Are the Negative Impacts of Technology on Pregnancy?
1. Overreliance on Technology:
Depending too much on technology can lead to reduced direct communication with healthcare providers. Proper face-to-face communication with doctors helps build trust and provide personalized care.
2. Data Security and Privacy Concerns:
Not every pregnancy-related mobile application is safe; some have potent risks risk associated with data breaches and privacy violations.
3. Anxiety and Overloaded Information:
Internet helps to get information about many things and can lead to information overload, causing unwanted stress for expectant parents.
4. Inequality in Access:
Technology can be accessed only by those with mobile phones and good internet connections. People in low-income groups or unreserved communities cannot have access to digital health information.
Conclusion:
Technology has improved pregnancy care, enabling earlier detection of diseases. It helps reduce the risk to pregnant mothers and children, resulting in an increased number of successful pregnancies. While relying too much on technology, please be aware that it has pros and cons. Utilize the best of technology, talk to the doctor, get regular checkups, and be informed about the health status. Do not mug up everything on the internet and get stressed.
