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(PXHere.com)
26 Dec. 2018. Most of us today have known technology all our lives. It has been a guiding in hand, influencing our habits and hobbies as well as what we do for a living. More robust technology has brought about a plethora of jobs that simply didn’t exist when our grandparents were our age. It has brought consumers unparalleled convenience, brought about unprecedented technological advancements in business and industry and, of course, has facilitated many a medical breakthrough even in the relatively young 21st century.
And yet, technologies that are emerging today could go on to save and improve lives before they’ve even begun with new advances in technology that make for easier and more risk averse labors as well as easier pregnancies. While parents affected by birth injury should seek out the aid of birth injury lawyers with relevant legal experience, future strides in technology will hopefully mitigate the risk of such tragedies going forward, while also leaving the conception, pregnancy and birthing processes less prone to the whims of chance. Let’s take a look at some of these promising technologies…
Stem cell treatments
Despite all of our great technological advances, thousands of couples all over the world endure heartache and frustration when they are unable to conceive. While In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has given a helping hand to many parents who are unable to conceive naturally, its relatively low success rate and high costs are still a source of great consternation for many couples.
However, recent use of stem cells to rejuvenate the ovaries can prove invaluable in increasing IVF success rates and giving women with a history of ovarian failure a wealth of new opportunity by activating dormant follicles and helping them go on to become viable eggs.
Non-invasive prenatal testing
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a relatively new medical technology but one that has already begun to slowly revolutionize pregnancy. When a woman carries a baby, she actually carries trace elements of her child’s DNA in her bloodstream. Thanks to new technologies, this cell free DNA can be screened to test for a host of genetic conditions including Down’s syndrome.
While a screening technology like NIPT cannot ascertain for sure whether a baby will be born with a chromosomal disorder, it can determine the likelihood of them being born with that condition, and enable parents to prepare and research accordingly.
Even though the technology is fairly nascent, it is highly accurate to the tune of 97-99% percent, according to a 2017 study.
ePartogram
While most prenatal technology is aimed at protecting the child, we must not forget that women still carry some risk in childbirth, and in some less developed countries this risk can be mortal. In fact, in the developing world maternal mortality rates are still 15 times higher than in the developed world. With this in mind, biomedical and project engineer Shoval Dekel has pioneered the ePartogram. This is an electronic version of a partogram form used by midwives.
An ePartogram automates information about the progress of labor and delivery. This helps birth attendants to identify complications early and intervene in time to save women’s lives.
It’s comforting to know that technological strides can make us safer and healthier… before we’re even born.
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