US-12616416-B2 - System of monitoring foetal growth, methods of monitoring and forming the system

US12616416B2US 12616416 B2US12616416 B2US 12616416B2US-12616416-B2

Abstract

A system for monitoring foetal growth. The system may include a plurality of devices. Each device of the plurality of devices may be configured to determine measurements of a baby bump over a time period, and may be further configured to store the measurements. The system may also include a server configured to receive the measurements from each of the plurality of devices. The server may be configured to compare the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices. The system may be further configured to send an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices.

Inventors

Yao Du
Mahesh Choolani
Jun Hui Ho
Renzhe Bi
Poongkulali Rajarahm
Malini Olivo

Assignees

AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210531
Priority Date: 20200603

Claims (20)

1 . A system for monitoring foetal growth, the system comprising: a plurality of devices, each device of the plurality of devices configured to determine measurements of a baby bump over a time period, and further configured to store the measurements, wherein the measurements are determined by light detection and ranging technology; and a server configured to receive the measurements from each of the plurality of devices; wherein the server is configured to compare the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices; and wherein the system is further configured to send an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices comprises one or more sensors used in the determination of the measurements and the one or more sensors are selected from a group consisting of optical sensors, motion sensors, and ranging apparatuses.
3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurements determined by each device of the plurality of devices relates to a fundal height of the baby bump.
4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a memory storage configured to store the measurements.
5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a display for displaying information regarding the measurements.
6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to compare the measurements of a predetermined group of pregnant mothers that is selected from one or more parameters.
7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more parameters comprise ethnicity, age, body height, body weight, gestational age and country of residence.
8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to send the alert regarding the abnormality of the baby bump of a pregnant mother to communication devices of one or more preassigned contacts of the pregnant mother.
9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein each device of the devices is a smartphone, a tablet, or a smart watch.
10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to send the alert upon detecting the abnormality by comparing measurements determined by a device of the plurality of devices at different times during the time period.
11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to send the alert upon detecting the abnormality by comparing the measurements from each device with clinical data stored in the server.
12 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurements of the baby bump are based on a distance between two points of the baby bump of a pregnant mother, wherein the plurality of devices are configured to: generate a plurality of discrete points between the two points; fit a three-dimensional curve to the plurality of discrete points, the three-dimensional curve including a plurality of interpolated points; determine a length between each pair of neighbouring interpolated points; and sum all the lengths between the pairs of neighbouring interpolated points to be a length between the two points.
13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of devices are further configured to: prior to fitting a three-dimensional curve to the plurality of discrete points, generate a point cloud based on the plurality of discrete points; and fit a three-dimensional curve to the plurality of discrete points in the point cloud.
14 . A method of forming a system for monitoring foetal growth, the method comprising: providing a plurality of devices, each device of the plurality of devices configured to determine measurements of a baby bump over a time period, and further configured to store the measurements, wherein the measurements are determined by light detection and ranging technology; and providing a server configured to receive the measurements from each of the plurality of devices; wherein the server is configured to compare the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices; and sending an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices.
15 . A method of monitoring foetal growth, the method comprising: determining measurements of a baby bump over a time period using each device of a plurality of devices, each device of the plurality of devices configured to store the measurements, wherein the measurements are determined by light detection and ranging technology; receiving the measurements from each device of the plurality of devices by a server; comparing, by the server, the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices; and sending an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein determining measurements of the baby bump comprises determining measurements of a fundal height of the baby bump.
17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the measurements of the baby bump are based on a distance between two points of the baby bump of a pregnant mother.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the two points are a point of a uterus of the pregnant mother and a point of a pubic symphysis of the pregnant mother, wherein the distance is a curved distance between the two points.
19 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising: sending the alert upon detecting the abnormality by comparing measurements determined by a device of the plurality of devices at different times during the time period.
20 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising: sending the alert upon detecting the abnormality by comparing the measurements from each device with clinical data stored in the server.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of priority of Singapore application No. 10202005227W filed Jun. 3, 2020, the contents of it being hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD Various embodiments of this disclosure may relate to a system for monitoring foetal growth. Various embodiments of this disclosure may relate to a method of forming a system for monitoring foetal growth. Various embodiments of this disclosure may relate to a method of monitoring foetal growth. BACKGROUND Two of the most common practices in estimating foetal size are ultrasound imaging measurement and fundal height measurement by tape. Ultrasound sizing is the golden standard and has relatively satisfactory accuracy. Currently, a typical woman in healthy pregnancy goes for three ultrasound tests to monitor pregnancy. The first one is usually scheduled late in the first trimester, around the 11 to 14-week mark, the second ultrasound comes around the 18 to 20-week mark, and the third one is around the 32 to 34-week mark. The complexity and costs of ultrasound tests prevent them to be performed more often. It may be impractical for every pregnant woman to go for ultrasound test every week just to know how a healthy foetus is growing. Fundal Height is one of the most useful and economical parameters used in clinical practice in estimating foetal size between 18 to 32 weeks. It is defined as the size of the uterus and is measured from the top of the uterus to the top of the pubic symphysis. The current common practice is to use a tape measure to run along the belly and plot it in a chart against gestational age and/or compare it with an internationally standardised chart (INTERGROWTH-21st). Despite its simplicity, it is difficult for this measurement to be done accurately by the pregnant woman herself. Doctors and midwives also need training before being able to perform this measurement accurately. Other than difficulties in performing the measurement, the usefulness of the data is also diminished by practicality issues. The horizontal comparison amongst other pregnant women is biased as differences in ethnicity, body measurements, and nutrition all play important roles in estimating health in the growth. A standard chart for all women is not accurate enough for certain races and ethnicity. Wrong estimations and comparisons may cause anxiety in some cases, or false security in other cases. A longitudinal chart of one's own measurements has the advantage of having an inherent baseline. However, limitations in medical resources may prohibit the measurements to be done frequently enough. Ideally, the interval between two measurements should be within one to two weeks, but women normally only go for prenatal check-up once per month. In poorer or more remote regions, the frequency may even be lower. This lack of monitoring may prevent serious foetal health problems from being detected early. In summary, although foetal growth estimation, especially its progression within pregnancy, is essential in monitoring foetal health, its practical difficulties prohibit its frequent administration at home, thus hampering its usefulness. SUMMARY Various embodiments may relate to a system for monitoring foetal growth. The system may include a plurality of devices. Each device of the plurality of devices may be configured to determine measurements of a baby bump over a time period, and may be further configured to store the measurements. The system may also include a server configured to receive the measurements from each of the plurality of devices. The server may be configured to compare the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices. The system or server may be further configured to send an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices. Various embodiments may relate to a method of forming a system for monitoring foetal growth. The method may include providing a plurality of devices. Each device of the plurality of devices may be configured to determine measurements of a baby bump over a time period, and may be further configured to store the measurements. The method may also include providing a server configured to receive the measurements from each of the plurality of devices. The server may be configured to compare the measurements from different devices of the plurality of devices. The system or server may be further configured to send an alert upon detecting an abnormality based on the measurements from the different devices of the plurality of devices. Various embodiments may relate to a method of monitoring foetal growth. The method may include determining measurements of a baby bump over a time period using each device of a plurality of devices, each device of the plurality of devices configured to store the measurements. The measurements from each device of the plurality of devi