JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Technology is ever-evolving and Jacksonville is embracing it, offering new medical equipment for mothers-to-be.
Memorial Hospital is proud to offer wireless monitoring technology for mothers in labor. The new technology is now available in the women’s center at Memorial Hospital. The new equipment provides comfort to women who may want to walk and move about while in labor.
The Novii wireless patch system transmits information via Bluetooth technology and can transmit data up to 110 feet. "You can move," said Dr. Hae Soo Lim, OBGYN with Memorial Hospital Women's Health." There's no cables .There's no straps.You can walk around the room and shower with this new technology."
The patch device tracks the heartbeat of both mom and baby as well as the progression of contractions.
The traditional cable belt technology is still considered reliable and accurate; however, the device has to be plugged in, which limits the mother’s mobility. The new Novii allows moms to move about like walking or rocking while in labor. The mobility can provide relief and comfort during the progression of labor.
The new technology allows our moms to walk around or even take a shower while in labor, the device is water resistant, which can provide relief from contractions, bring comfort and offer new moms another option for their birthing experience.
Lim said it boils down to “there are certain positions that we all favor that we like, and even when you are in labor and you’re having contractions, when you are in pain there are certain positions that if you stay it decreases the amount of pain that you have and allows you to be able to stay in any position you want without having to reposition the monitor.”
The other benefit is that it is designed for different body types. With the traditional monitor you often have to constantly readjust the belt if the mother just reaches for a glass of water. The constant movement affects the accuracy of the fetal heart rate signals, and even loses the signal. With the wireless system, there is no need to readjust.
Mothers to-be have cutting edge technology offered by Memorial Hospital, according to Lim."Most hospitals are going to eventually trend towards this technology everywhere, Lim said.