Understanding the mechanical role of the cervix is imperative for developing in vivo diagnostic techniques to identify women at risk of preterm birth.”
We are excited to share groundbreaking insights that delve into the world of maternal healthcare with our white paper on “Torsional Waves Elastography: Potentiality to Predict the Risk of Preterm Birth.” This study explores the mechanical dynamics of the human cervix throughout pregnancy and introduces an innovative solution to predict and mitigate the risk of preterm birth.
Introduction
During pregnancy, the human cervix serves as a crucial mechanical barrier that undergoes substantial stresses from the developing baby. Understanding the mechanical role of the cervix is imperative for developing in vivo diagnostic techniques to identify women at risk of preterm birth. The World Health Organization (WHO) projected that around 15 million infants were born preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation) in 2017, a rate exceeding 1 in 10 newborns. (1)
Problem Highlights: Addressing the Global Preterm Birth Challenge
15 million babies born preterm annually, with 45% due to True Threatened Preterm Labor. 45 million pregnant women hospitalized yearly after a Threatened Preterm Labor event.
Only 15% of Threatened Preterm Labor cases result in spontaneous delivery post-event. 38 million pregnant women unnecessarily hospitalized annually due to false positive TPTL test.
The economic burden of false Threatened Preterm Labor events is approximately $1.2 billion for the US & EU.
What is Torsional Waves Elastography (TWE)?
Torsional waves are a type of pure shear elastic waves that propagate through soft tissue radially and in-depth in a curled geometry, ideally suited to explore structures such as the cervix. (2) These torsional waves offer a unique insight into cervical structures. Recent interest surrounds cervical elastography measurements, an imaging technique estimating local axial tissue strains. Changes in collagen, elastin, and macromolecular components
during pregnancy impact cervical stiffness, leading to the process of cervical maturation. The exact mechanism controlling this process remains a mystery.
Fine Birth: Revolutionizing Preterm Birth Diagnostics
In response to the challenges posed by preterm birth, We have introduced Fine Birth, a novel patented diagnostic tool. Fine Birth utilizes an intravaginal probe to transmit torsional waves to the cervix, measuring tissue consistency. An Artificial Intelligence algorithm interprets these measurements, providing real-time assessments of true or false preterm labor events. The information is presented as a score and associated risk level, offering a precise and cost-effective alternative to current methods.
Advantages of Fine Birth
Accurate differentiation between true and false preterm labor. Low false-negative and false-positive rates.
Cost-effective, with practical real-time results.
Innitius is a Spanish startup, that focuses on providing actionable diagnostics for women’s health. We develop medical devices combining novel technology (Torsional Waves) with Artificial Intelligence for diagnosing pathologies associated with changes in a woman’s cervical tissue consistency.
(1) “Preterm Birth.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization,
www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth.
(2) Rus, Guillermo & Riveiro, Miguel & Molina, Francisca. (2018). Effect of Contact Conditions of Torsional Wave Elastographic Probe on Human Cervix. Mathematical Problems in Engineering. 2018. 1-6. 10.1155/2018/6494758.
Upcoming Events
As we continue our mission to positively impact women’s health globally, we are thrilled to announce our participation in two upcoming events this year: Women’s Health Innovation Summit Europe Location: Basel, Switzerland Date: April 16-17, 2024
LSI – Life Science Intelligence in Europe ’24
Location: Portugal
Date: September 16-20, 2024
We are excited about the opportunity to engage with experts, share insights, and contribute to the discourse surrounding women’s health.
Stay tuned for more updates, innovations, advancements, and highlights from our participation in these events as we strive to make a positive impact on women’s health worldwide.
