Out of 140M childbirth world-wide annually, about 10% will suffer from delays in the second stage of labour, the step when the maternal effort pushes the baby out of the birth canal.
Without a clinical intervention, serious complications for mother and baby could follow.
Clinical interventions for delayed second stage of labour include instrumental delivery and possibly caesarean section. Although effective, such interventions usually require an advanced healthcare setting, and the procedures carry their own risks to both the mother and the baby.
The BirthGlide team has developed a novel simple to use, low-cost device that is designed to reduce the occurrence of delayed second stage of labour and reduce the associated complications. The device could be used in the majority of vaginal deliveries.