According to the World Health Organization, one in ten babies is at risk of being born prematurely, between 24 and 37 weeks of gestation. That is equivalent to 15 million newborns a year, of which one million will die and another million will suffer disabilities due to complications from premature birth.
A team of doctors and engineers from Israel has developed a new medical device to prevent premature birth , which is the one that causes the most damage in the field of obstetrics.
“We want to revolutionize the current form of treatment to prevent premature birth,” PregnanTech CEO, and Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer lead obstetrician Dr. David Shashar, told the Jerusalem Post .
How the device works
The device, called Lioness, is a proprietary, disposable silicone ring that is inserted vaginally, surrounding the cervix and preventing early dilation or shortening of the cervix.
The special structure of the ring allows it to stay in place and keeps the cervix elongated and closed, even in the presence of contractions.
It does this by reducing the load on the cervix and intercepting the biomechanical cascade that leads to premature birth. The device is removed once the pregnancy is near term.
Between 9 and 17% of all pregnancies are at risk of preterm birth
“The indices have not changed in decades,” Shashar added, stating that there is currently no solution. “In some cases doctors will try to prevent preterm labor using methods such as hormones, medications, suturing of the cervix (cerclage) and pessaries, but for the most part they are unsuccessful.”
“From my experience as a gynecologist, I know very well the magnitude of the phenomenon and the suffering it entails for newborns and families. Each additional week in the womb is critical to the development of the fetus, and just one additional week can make the difference between a healthy growing baby and a baby who suffers from a variety of problems throughout life, ”said Shashar.
PregnanTech is currently conducting a safety clinical trial with women who have opted for hysterectomy. The results have been successful.
Following the current clinical trial, a second trial will be conducted with pregnant women at risk of preterm birth at King’s College Hospital in London.
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