Published in Nature Biotechnology, the study introduces the UPatch - a soft, wearable ultrasound device designed to continuously monitor fetal anatomy and blood flow in real time during pregnancy, offering clinicians a potential new way to identify signs of fetal compromise earlier in high-risk pregnancies.
The research was led by Professor Antoniya Georgieva at Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health in collaboration with Professor Sheng Xu and colleagues at the University of California San Diego and Stanford University.
Addressing a major gap in fetal monitoring
This can make it difficult for clinicians to distinguish between temporary changes and signs of sustained fetal compromise, particularly in pregnancies affected by conditions such as pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and maternal hypertension.
The UPatch was designed to address this challenge by enabling continuous, autonomous monitoring of fetal blood flow over extended periods.
The soft wearable patch sits on the maternal abdomen and can automatically track moving fetal blood vessels even during fetal and maternal movement. Researchers say this could provide clinicians with a far more detailed understanding of fetal physiology throughout pregnancy.
Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health website.