Can the fetal short-term variability measure RMSSD be reliably recorded using a novel ultrasound fetal heart rate monitoring system?

A certain number of newborn babies may suffer from infection. Many of such infections go unnoticed but may have negative effects on child's health. There is currently no satisfying means to detect such babies early on. We have learned that using information contained in fetal heart beats we might better predict if a yet unborn baby has an infection. This would allow to intervene and prevent problems with baby's health after birth. We would like to learn more about how to acquire such information from fetal heart beats. We want to compare a well established device to record fetal heart beats during labour to a new one that would allow us to measure fetal heart beats in unborn babies. The partner organization would benefit by being able to offer the new device for this new indication of monitoring fetal well-being, a win-win situation for the patients and the company.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Martin Frasch

Student:

Carl Frédéric Duchatellier

Partner:

Bionetics

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Université de Montréal