Fetosense: AI based fetal heart monitor to reduce prematurity in LMICs
MLC Voyager | Created by CareNX Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
CareNX has developed an AI based fetal heart monitor called "Fetosense". Fetosense is able to identify fetal complications by up to 52% early and reduced preterm cases by up to 33% for 500000+ pregnancies screened across 6 countries in the last 4 years.
400,000 Lives Impacted
Undiagnosed condition of preterm/asphyxia causes over 50% (360,000) of total intra-uterine fetal deaths each year and hence India consistently fails to achieve SDG target of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) below 12. Number of gynecologists to pregnancy ratio can get as low as 1:1700 in resource poor settings of India and hence maternal care in such areas get provided through general physicians. General physicians lack access to cardiotocography(CTG) machines to diagnose fetal preterm/asphyxia due to high cost, bulkiness and expertise necessary.
In this light, CareNX has developed an AI based fetal heart monitor called "Fetosense". Fetosense has been able to identify fetal complications by up to 52% early and reduced preterm cases by up to 33% for 500000+ pregnancies screened across 6 countries in the last 4 years – due to AI based auto-result interpretation, early identification of fetal distress through live remote fetal monitoring and timely consultations. Fetosense is now being used by 3000+ gynecologists and they collectively test 2000+ mothers weekly. Fetosense has been incorporated into project implementation plan (PIP) of National Health Mission (NHM) of India for FY2023-24.
The Innovation
Fetosense is a portable smartphone-based fetal heart monitor. It provides real-time alerts for abnormal test results and has an auto-interpretation decision support tool.
At present, fetal monitoring test is only available at secondary or tertiary level hospitals at district or state level due to the following issues:
• CTG machines are expensive
• High consumable requirement such as power supply, space, thermal paper, wire maintenance
• Need an gynecologists or experts to read and interpret the results - shortage of medical specialists makes service delivery even more patchy
• Bulkiness makes it not suitable for in hospital movement nor for field use
On the contrary, Fetosense empowers the frontline worker and reduces the dependence on gynecologists and thereby addresses the issue of acute shortage of specialists in the country, especially in remote / tribal areas. With Fetosense the issues with timely access to obstetric emergency care can be mitigated with early detection of danger signs and referral to appropriate health facilities by the health worker. Regular fetal monitoring and improved management of the baby-in-utero will be pivotal in preventing maternal, neonatal and infant deaths or impaired growth.
About CareNX Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
CareNX Innovations Pvt Ltd is an UN award winning Indian healthcare technology startup since 2015, incubated at SINE IIT Bombay. CareNX has been developing and scaling AI enabled women & child healthcare solutions with social impact philosophy at it’s core. As of today, CareNX’s products have been in use by 1200+ hospitals, 3000+ doctors, 12 states, 6 countries and have directly benefited over 500,000+ women patients.
These impact of CareNX's work has been recognized and supported by global forums like G20, World Health Summit (WHS), UN Women, Global Micronutrient Forum (GMF), Innovation Forum Cambridge UK etc., and by government bodies like Indian Prime Minister's Office, IUSSTF, FICCI, DST etc., and by universities like IC2 University of Texas Austin, Stanford Business School, IIM Ahmadabad, IIT Bombay, Singularity University, Miller Center of Santa Clara University etc. and many more industries like Google, Yahoo, Motorola, Infosys etc.
