Objective measurement of blood loss without lab work.
Our solution improves time to diagnosis and access to care employing Biophysics and Artificial Intelligence.
About Us
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, and consistently one of the top 3 killers of child-bearing women in the United States. The World Health Organization estimates that 60% of deaths were caused by PPH and that approximately 14 million cases of PPH occur each year. Fortunately, hemorrhage is a potentially preventable cause of maternal death, as timely recognition of PPH, determining the cause, and initiating treatment can be life-saving. Indeed, almost 90 percent of deaths due to PPH occur within four hours of giving birth.
Hemorai's mission is to apply pioneering solutions to reduce the mortality and morbidity of hemorrhagic shock.
Our team completed the National Science Foundation’s regional I-Corp curriculum and was granted lineage for the national cohort. As part of the customer discovery process for the curriculum, we interviewed general public (expectant mothers), providers (nursing, midwifery, and obstetrics both in the US and Mexico), as well as national organizational leaders (AWHONN, ACNM, ACOG, NICHD). While this was not a top-of-mind item for expectant mothers, we did find a great deal of support and excitement amongst providers (especially those in rural areas), and national organizational leaders as they view our solution as yet another effort aimed at mortality reduction via improved access to care.
The Solution
Portable device
Our invention is a low-cost, portable, easy to use, and non-invasive hemorrhage detection device that combines optical spectroscopy with Artificial Intelligence to measure hematocrit levels from the bleeding mother to warn the provider of impending clinical deterioration and hemorrhagic shock.
With rapid diagnosis and access to treatment, PPH is relatively easy to treat by clearing the placenta, stimulating uterine contractions, administering oxytocin, or performing a blood transfusion. However, early PPH detection can be limited for a majority of mothers in resource-poor settings. Yet, these challenges aren't limited to these areas since PPH continues to occur in 4-6% of pregnancies in the U.S. and significantly detracts from maternal health in the developed world. Causing death in 1 out of every 50,000 American deliveries, PPH should be a serious concern for mothers and providers everywhere.
Untreated PPH, caused by uterine atony when the uterus fails to contract after delivery, can lead to shock before potentially causing death. The majority of maternal mortalities occur within the first 24 hours after delivery when PPH is not diagnosed and treated quickly enough. Early detection of PPH is especially integral since symptoms often do not appear until significant blood loss and shock begin. When shock occurs, it could be too late to treat PPH if the nearest treatment is far away (which is a commonality in rural and resource-poor deliveries) or when delivery is handled at the residence by midwives.
why are we the best solution?
