Collaboration brings Philips Africa Innovation Hub tech to Maternova obstetric kits

PROVIDENCE – A recently signed agreement between Philips Africa Innovation Hub and Maternova Inc. has initiated sales programs of Philips’ portable-power independent Fetal Heart Rate Monitor, packaged as part of Maternova Safe Obstetric Solution kits, in Latin America, Africa and certain markets in Asia, Maternova announced March 1.
Designed for challenging childbirth settings such as rugged conditions, inadequate lighting, lack of electricity and limited availability of local health care resources, the SOS kit delivers lifesaving vital-signs monitoring and postpartum hemorrhage control, according to Maternova, a women’s health solutions technology company. Combining a maternal heart-rate and blood-pressure monitoring cuff with Philips’ Fetal Heart Rate Monitor enables assessment of the health of the mother and baby during antenatal care visits through childbirth.
Philips’ Fetal Heart Rate Monitor is operated using a built-in hand crank, eliminating the need for batters or electricity.
“The Philips Fetal Heart Rate Monitor will work well for clinical care in the hospitals and mobile clinics in places like Haiti,” Cynthia Siegel, RN, CNM, director of Midwifery Education, Midwives for Haiti, said in a statement. “We have used it to monitor patients ranging from weeks to full-term pregnancies, and it performs extremely well.”
“This agreement with Maternova underscores Philips’ commitment to co-create new solutions, new business models and new delivery paradigms to provide innovations that make an impact; innovations that enhance clinical outcomes and patient safety,” Niels Buning, Venture Manager, Philips Africa Innovation Hub, said in the statement. “Though developed in Africa, for Africa, the FHRM can address demand in a vast majority of low-resource settings across the globe.”
“It’s wonderful that Maternova and Philips will be collaborating for the benefit of patients and clinicians around the world,” Meg Wirth, CEO of Maternova, said in the statement. “I am delighted that we were able to reach this important agreement. We see demand for rugged, effective and innovative maternal, newborn and child health innovations growing in all corners of the world.”