A step closer to preventing the deaths of thousands of mothers

A new article in the Vancouver Sun profiles research by three UBC professors, Peter von Dadelszen (obstetrics and gynecology), Mark Ansermino (anesthesia) and Guy Dumont (electrical and computer engineering).

They are working on technology that’s proven to reduce deaths from eclampsia, a pregnancy complication, by 85 per cent. They designed a small finger clamp that can measure the oxygen level in a woman’s blood, and, with the help of a mobile app, alert women if they need to go to the hospital. To make it more financially viable in the developing world, they are seeking funding to expand the app’s capabilities to diagnose other risk factors.