MedTech firm Baymatob has raised $4.2 million to fund human clinical trials for its new AI-guided labor monitoring device named Oli.
Oli is a wearable device that detects whether a woman in labor is highly likely to develop an abnormal postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).
Dr. Sarah McDonald founded the company after going through a traumatic birth experience in 2013. According to Dr. McDonald, innovation in maternal-fetal monitoring has not been seen since the 1960s.
“It is a sad fact that mothers today are monitored with the same measures as their grandmothers. Postpartum hemorrhage is currently diagnosed by estimating blood loss after it has occurred, by which point it is an emergency with damage done,” says McDonald. “There is clear evidence that devices used in labor monitoring are not helping us to improve outcomes for mothers and babies.”
What is PPH?
PPH or postpartum hemorrhage is when heavy bleeding occurs after childbirth. PPH is a serious complication and the leading cause of preventable maternal death. According to Baymatob, every seven minutes, a mother dies from PPH. At this time, PPH is responsible for 11 percent of maternal deaths in the United States. The condition can also lead to emergency hysterectomies. Baymatob’s device aims to reduce deaths and other severe outcomes of PPH.
Oli utilizes sensor technology along with AI to detect PPH during labor before the bleeding starts. According to the company’s pilot study, 80 percent of mothers with PPH could be treated before bleeding begins with Oli.
Innovations in Health Technology
Oli isn’t the only health-related wearable in development. Researchers in Canada have created a smart T-shirt that monitors the wearer’s breathing. Additionally, Eon Musk’s brain chip, Neuralink, which allows those with paralysis to operate smartphones with their minds, has begun human trials. Recently companies have also started to explore the metaverse’s potential for healthcare. ORamaVR recently launched the MAGES SDK, which allows for VR medical training.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
