A device borne out of University of Western Australia has been hailed the biggest breakthrough in foetal monitoring in five decades, as its first trials come to an end.
A device borne out of University of Western Australia has been hailed the biggest breakthrough in foetal monitoring in five decades, as its first trials come to an end.
VitalTrace provides real-time oxygen level monitoring during childbirth by measuring the level of lactate in the baby’s blood.
Lactate is a natural substance produced by cells when glucose is used for energy production in the absence of oxygen.
Secured to the skin of the baby’s scalp once the head is accessible, a sensor wirelessly transmits information to a separate monitor, allowing the mother to move freely during labour.
It’s expected to reduce the rate of unnecessary emergency caesarean sections, leading to a quicker recovery for the mother and the chance for mums to bond with their babies immediately.
Developed by UWA graduate, VitalTrace co-founder and chief executive Dr Arjun Kaushik, commercialisation of the technology was funded through the state government’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.
"Measuring a chemical in real-time has been the stuff of science fiction until recently, and we've developed a technology that's quite similar to what people with diabetes use to measure their glucose in real-time, and so we thought 'if they can do it with glucose, we could do it with lactate'," Dr Kaushik said.
"And so we've developed the world's first continuous lactate monitor for childbirth.
"What it allows is the mothers to move around naturally during childbirth, but crucially it gives obstetricians and midwives gives access to this crucial biomarker in real-time, and this could well provide them with the information to make lifesaving decisions to rescue babies which need intervention, or to avoid unnecessary C-sections."
Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the device had been trialled at four hospitals nationwide, including King Edward Memorial Hospital.
“This is the biggest breakthrough in the way babies are monitored during labour in five decades, and it’s been made here in WA,” she said.
“It’s fabulous to see innovation from WA can guide mum and baby safely through a high-risk birth, and I’ll be closely watching the outcomes of further trials in the hope the device will soon be able to help even more people.”
VitalTrace partnered with researchers from UWA and the University of Sydney to bring it to commercialisation.
In 2021, the company won the Wesfarmers wellbeing platinum award at the WA Innovator of the Year Awards.
