Modern medical technology continues to make a range of pregnancy challenges easier to manage, and wireless fetal monitoring systems are one of the latest examples. They offer pregnant women significantly more comfort and mobility throughout the labor process.
The Novii monitor from GE Healthcare is one of several cutting-edge solutions. It offers all the functionality expected from a fetal monitor in a much more compact and user-friendly design that makes it easier for women to wear during labor. It comes in a lightweight patch, doesn’t have wires connecting it to the monitor, and doesn’t need to be readjusted after being put on. The Novii is also water resistant so it can be used in the shower or bath.
“It’s been proven in multiple studies that being able to ambulate and be up and in different positions, such as birthing balls, in the shower, in the tub – these different positions help moms with the actual labor process itself,” said Haily Fisher, a nurse at the Billings Clinic Family Birth Center in Billings, Montana. The clinic first started using this technology in February, but it has been available in the United States for more than a year.
Tammy Noll, General Manager of GE Healthcare Maternal Infant Care, tells Parentology, “It allows expectant moms to move more freely without being constrained to a specific area, which can help decrease the length of labor. Patients can even bathe or use a birthing ball.”
Noll shared the story of Brigitta Fifield, a labor and delivery nurse who had the opportunity to try the Novii herself. According to the rep, Fifield said, “I was strapped to wired monitors when I gave birth to my first two children, and [this] wireless monitor gave me a completely different experience. It was so nice to be able to move more freely. When I was on the wired monitors, the nurses would have to come in and adjust the straps every time I wanted to change positions. It was extremely restrictive.”
While wireless fetal monitoring systems are still new to the field, it’s expected that more hospitals will be using this tech in the future.
Sources
KTVQ.com – Billings, Montana
Tammy Noll, General Manager of GE Healthcare Maternal Infant Care