Three years of COVID has brought about some great advances in telehealth for most people but for pregnant women, access to quality healthcare can still be a big struggle because stresses can run high and healthcare options can be limited. But the new HeraBEAT device from Australian-listed medtech company, HeraMed, changes that because it gives pregnant women the ability to monitor the heartbeat of their baby from home, making telehealth possible.
In a traditional, low-risk pregnancy, expectant mothers require over 14 visits to the hospital — which starts to add up when each visit lasts on average between 45-60 minutes. HeraMED has addressed this gap with its HeraCARE platform and the HeraBEAT device. This device enable expectant mothers to reduce their in-person visits to only 6-8 visits and to reduce the visit length to around 10-15 minutes.
This is due to the HeraBEAT device which allows you to do fetal heart rate monitoring at home. This way you can check on your baby’s heart rate and also detect any irregularities much earlier than traditional methods.
Pregnant women in Australia can buy the HeraBEAT now and already, expectant mothers are using the technology at Ramsey Health Care’s Joondalup Health Campus in Brisbane, where over 500 mothers are using the telehealth platform with an additional 70 expectant mothers each week.
Head of Obstetrics at Ramsey Health Care’s Joondalup Health Campus, Dr Cliff Neppe says: “In 2022, we are looking to shake up the standard schedule of maternity care to Connected Maternity Care” – with the goal of enrolling 7,500 women by the end of 2024.
Here’s what some of the women using the device had to say:
“It has brought me inner calm between each checkup. When you hear the heartbeat, the feeling is indescribable. I start smiling and I’m immediately relieved.” Rachel Eidel, first-time mum
“The experience of HeraBEAT with my older children was incredible; hearing the heartbeat made it real. It’s just easy and comfortable to use.” Dr Noa Glick Fishman, third-time mum
“That moment when the heartbeat appears on the screen is a moment like no other. Finally, there’s an opportunity to experience this at home, in your own privacy – to feel the baby and be able to know what’s going on at any given moment.” Liraz Palachi, new mum
The technology is also being rolled out to women in the Palestinian Authority in partnership with not-for-profit organisation, Project Rozana and leading hospital Sheba Medical Center. According to Ronit Zimmer, Executive Director of Project Rozana, the partnership is designed to: “Enable local healthcare workers to operation virtual clinics in remote areas, eliminating many logistical, bureaucratic and security obstacles for rural residents seeking quality healthcare.”
For more about the HeraBEAT device, visit HeraBeat here.
For more from Women Love Tech about the latest tech for health, visit here.
