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4 news posts in Frontiers in Global Women's Health

$1 smart glove could help prevent dangerous births by sensing fetal position

by Conn Hastings, science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Low-resource regions often lack the medical technology to assess when things are going wrong during birth. A new study has revealed an inexpensive sensing glove that can transmit data on fetal position and force applied to the fetal head. The technology could be invaluable in identifying obstructed birth in low-resource regions, providing real-time data on a smartphone app. Can inexpensive technologies provide a helping hand during birth? A new study in open-access journal Frontiers in Global Women’s Health has revealed a low-cost sensing glove that could do just that. The researchers created the device to assist healthcare staff in identifying fetal position and the force applied to the fetal head during labor, factors that can contribute to obstructed labor and poor birth outcomes. The technology can provide real-time data during vaginal examinations, potentially improving birth outcomes in low-resource regions. Birth outcomes in low-resource regions When labor is not going as it should, clinicians can use a wide array of medical technologies to determine what is wrong. However, in low- and middle-income countries, these technologies and skilled staff who can use them are not always available. The researchers behind this latest study reported that 98% […]

New research shows self-injectable contraception can enable women to take charge of their reproductive health

By Allen Namagembe, PATH, Uganda and Dr Jane Cover, PATH, US Image: PATH/Will Boase Allen Namagembe is a clinical epidemiologist, a biostatistician, and a global expert on self-injection. She is the Uganda Deputy Project Director and M&E Lead on the Uganda Self-Injection Scale-Up project at PATH. Dr. Jane Cover is a Research and Evaluation Manager on PATH’s Sexual and Reproductive Health team and the PATH-JSI DMPA-SC Access Collaborative. Now, they explain their team’s two studies, published in Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, where they used a human-centered design approach to develop and implement a pilot self-injection program in Uganda. Their results show how the program can increase women’s contraceptive access and options. For some, the term ‘self-care’ might conjure up images of skincare routines, bubble baths, and meditation. But in public health, self-care refers to the ability of individuals to self-manage aspects of their health care with the goal of promoting and sustaining health, preventing disease, and managing illness or disability. Grounded in evidence, agency, and equity, self-care interventions are key components of a holistic primary health care system and can help fill gaps in access to essential health services. We both conduct research in the sexual and reproductive health […]