New Approach: Doctors to Monitor the Condition of Pregnant Russian Women Remotely
Russia has proposed an experiment for remote monitoring of pregnant women. Using a cardiotocograph, fetal heartbeat, vitality, and uterine tone can be tracked. The Ministry of Economic Development has prepared the relevant project.
The testing of this new assistance system is planned for 2024-2025. It will be conducted in the Astrakhan and Vladimir regions, as well as in Altai, Yakutia, and Bashkortostan. This year, 2,000 women will participate in the experiment, and next year, 4,000.
The devices will not be issued to everyone but only to women who need them based on medical indications. The conclusion will be made by a gynecologist. Data from the device will be transmitted via Bluetooth to a mobile application on a smartphone, and then directly to the doctor through the “Personal Medical Assistant” information system.
The first such experiment in Russia, involving remote monitoring of patients with chronic diseases, was launched last year. Doctors monitored the condition of people with arterial hypertension and diabetes. In an interview with RBC, Vladimir Voloshin, Director of the Digital Economy Development Department of the Ministry of Economic Development, clarified that by May, the number of participants had reached about 20,000.
“This is the first of 15 ongoing experiments, the results of which have been summarized and the successful application of the technology and specially developed legal mechanisms has been established,” he explained.
The current project’s goal is to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates of mothers. The costs of the project are currently unknown, but the monitoring devices will be purchased in Russia.
Today, more than 77% of pregnant women in Russia suffer from various pathologies. According to Oleg Apolikhin, the Chief Freelance Specialist of the Ministry of Health for Men’s Reproductive Health, this is related to early sexual activity.
Obstetrician-gynecologist Boris Lordkipanidze also noted that cardiotocography is a valuable tool in obstetrics. It allows for monitoring the health of the mother and fetus not only during pregnancy but also during childbirth. Such procedures are already being conducted, but not in all maternity hospitals and gynecological clinics. If this practice becomes widespread, it will create an individualized approach to pregnancy and childbirth management, and also reduce associated risks.
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