Pregnant scientist tests new sensors on herself

This pregnant scientist is testing her own vital signs

using three wireless sensors she helped develop

Courtesy: Northwestern University

(SOUNDBITE)(English) DR JESSICA WALTER, NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE SAYING: "So this chest sensor senses mum's heart rate. It also does my core body temperature and accelerometers. So it can sense my movement which we can interpret into the maternal position during labour. In addition this sensor communicates with the one on my finger which gives your pulse oxygen levels, also pulse rate here, temperature at the periphery and then together they are time synchronised so they can actually generate a wireless blood pressure measurement. The last sensor is the one that's on my belly which is measuring uterine contractions and then also foetal Doppler, the measurement of the foetal heart rate."

The sensors allow for continuous monitoring during labor

which could even be done remotely

''Remote monitoring and being able to reassure mums at home. It would have been so powerful to have more of this technology around so that you can reassure mum, reassure yourself as a provider, that babies and mums are still doing ok."

The developers hope to get FDA approval soon

''Once you stick them on they have a better capacity to be able to detect that heart rate without constantly having to shift them every time you move and you're not again tethered to the wall to the big unit that interprets all the information when you dont have any wire. So it is incredibly liberating to have just a few patches that collect your information and the baby's information and not feel that you're sort of trapped in all these wires."