This project's technology focuses on in-home or near patient automated testing, integrated into mobile phones, to detect a number of possible pregnancy complications.
"Dipstick-based" urinalysis is an essential component of prenatal care, particularly in developed countries. During doctor visits, women's urine samples are tested for urinary infections, proteins (one symptom of preeclampsia), glucose levels, and a number of other parameters. These results are combined with blood pressure, weight gains, other blood test results, the ultrasound, and any general conditions and pregnancy related complaints. This information is used to determine if the pregnancy is low- or high-risk. In the case of a high-risk pregnancy, careful monitoring is required, more tests are ordered, doctor visits occur more often, and hospitalization is sometimes required. Limited access to prenatal care, because of its high cost or unavailability, means that large segments of the population do not go to doctors and do not have access to any of required tests. For such women, there may be undetected pregnancy complications and an impact on morbidity and mortality. For all pregnant women, there is a need for a low cost, portable system that can be used at home, to assist in self-monitoring of prenatal conditions and detection of the complications associated with high risk pregnancies. This I-Corps team proposes a low cost, mobile phone based system to identify these complications that require professional medical assistance.
This team's mobile phone based system can be used for the detection of prenatal complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and urinary infections. It combines urinalysis results from a mobile dipstick reader with other important patient information, and automates this complex diagnostic process. The team has a working prototype of a new mobile phone-based dipstick analyzer that can accurately determine the concentration of proteins, glucose and other components in urine. The current system consists of a mobile phone, a low cost 3D-printed attachment (to hold the sample in place and provide a controlled amount of light for the camera), integrated with custom software. Based on the outcomes of the I-Corps program, the team plans to choose a customer segment and adjust the product according to their value propositions. The first option is the medical community, which would use the device for patient testing and diagnosis. The second option is individual women, who would use the device at home to assess their own needs and possibly reduce anxiety during pregnancy.
