Case Study

Subject / Problem

Premature labour 17 days prior due date of a female aged 41. First baby. Boy. Baby born weighing 2.2 kg. Location of the case was Meerut City where healthcare is available on a moderate scale.

Introduction

A premature birth occurs when a baby is born 21 days before the due date. Premature birth brings a series of health complications with itself both in the child as well as in the mother. Greater risks of heart diseases, brain complications, breathing issues, and irregular metabolism are few problem areas, to name a few. Premature birth also requires the mother and the baby to stay at the hospital for a longer period of time, where the baby is generally placed in a special care unit for its health to be analysed and monitored. This step is taken as a mitigation measure to take quick actions in case complexities occur after few days of birth. It is obvious that a pregnant woman requires extra care and special treatment, but in the case of a premature birth, this turns into a mandatory need, before and after delivery.

Discussion

As stated before, premature babies have serious health issues ranging from short term to long term. Per exemple, the most common issues are respiratory diseases as well as cardiac related difficulties. Respiratory organs that are not fully mature cause setbacks in normal breathing patterns and exert stress on the heart as well other organs. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is one very common disease that occurs due to overexposure of the lungs to oxygen delivered artificially after birth. The particular case at hand witnessed a similar complication where the baby was diagnosed with the aforementioned illness. To add to this, hypotension (low blood pressure) added to the predicament, which called for regular blood check ups and routine visits to the hospital for six seven months after birth.

The mother had a history of two miscarriages and that adds to the probability of a premature birth. Although a premature birth was predicted, not many precautions were taken. After delivery, infection of the lower genital tract was also reported.

SiCureMi’s Contribution

After six months of delivery, the new mother was introduced to SiCureMi and the solutions they provide via their website. The contribution of SiCureMi is significantly large and requires special mention;

• SiCureMi connected the mother with recognised gynaecologists located in cities all over India. Expert recommendations on special care of the child were easily delivered to the mother. The platform also involved the woman’s husband to a much larger extent. He was given special advice on how to deal with health issues arising from time to time, and to be better prepared in times of emergencies.
• The baby and the mother were prescribed a scheduled check up routine which required them to visit particular clinics and labs to deposit samples. The reports were uploaded on the SiCureMi portal where the concerned doctors could study them and provide consulting services remotely. The reduced to and fro between various health centers significantly minimized stress levels in the family.
• Blood oxygen levels of the baby were monitored regularly. Any irregular activity was immediately reported to the concerned health professional. Meerut being a relatively small city, any emergency situation that called for reporting at the hospital was perfectly and efficiently conducted.

Conclusion

The case under study belongs to the year 2015. The mother is now eight months pregnant with her second baby. An IoT wearable is a common sight on her wrist. During her ordeal with her first born, SiCureMi introduced her to a doctor in New Delhi, who is currently monitoring her second pregnancy remotely. The doctor (or the ‘family doctor’ as she prefers to call him, despite the distance) keeps a close look on her eating habits, her exercise routines, and her body vitals. A few visits a month to the local hospital are arranged via the online platform. Although the first pregnancy was an uphill task, SiCureMi played a vital role in giving the couple the confidence to try for a new baby, and remain free of worry during the expended gestation period.