Oxford University develops new tool to better predict birth complications during labour
It combines the first 20 minutes of routine heart monitoring with a mother's medical history and was tested on data from more than a 145,000 births
Oxford University researchers have developed a pioneering tool designed to identify the risk of birth complications at the beginning of labour.
This tool, known as Fit4Labour, enhances routine cardiotocography (CTG) heart rate monitoring by incorporating crucial clinical information, such as a woman's pregnancy duration and any pre-existing health conditions.
By integrating CTG data with information on the mother's age, weeks of pregnancy, whether she has had previous babies, and health concerns like diabetes or pre-eclampsia, the tool provides an early assessment of severe complication risks.
Fit4Labour's risk calculator aims to allow midwives and obstetricians to make informed decisions sooner, potentially preventing emergencies like Caesarean sections.
Data from over 145,000 births at hospitals in Oxford, Cambridge, and Sweden showed labours marked as high risk were significantly more likely to end in complications compared to those deemed low risk.
The study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, revealed that Fit4Labour assessments were available more than eight hours before birth, giving healthcare providers and families more time to plan for safer deliveries.
Professor Antoniya Georgieva, senior author and researcher at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, shared her thoughts on the advancement:
"Our easy-to-use and reliable risk calculator can support obstetricians and midwives during the early stages of labour by providing an objective data-based assessment of each baby’s risk, helping to reduce variation in clinical assessment."
As part of research, the tool has already been implemented in the care of 90 women at two hospitals.
A dedicated spinout company, Safer Birth, is partnering with the NHS to explore wider use of the technology.