Technology is transforming how we approach life’s biggest challenges, including life-changing health events.
A lab at Columbia University is developing advanced tools to help doctors better predict and prevent serious pregnancy complications, like preterm birth.
Their mission is happening during pregnancy, and infant loss awareness month.
“The colors lighting up give me a percentage of stretch so we can ask questions is this uterus stretching too much?” Kristin Myers Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia, said.
It’s highlighting a potential problem that could lead to preterm birth, which is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Thousands of what-if scenarios are simulated using this technology at Columbia University.
“One of the biggest problems is just identifying patients who could be at high risk for mechanical failure of their cervix,” Myers said.
The data team uses patient ultrasounds to customize the digital twins, helping to understand the causes of preterm birth and prevent the devastating loss that sometimes can come with it.
“I was 28 weeks pregnant and rushed down the hall for a stat c-section. When I woke up, I had made it, but she hadn’t,” Brittany Crystal, Executive Director and Founder of The Iris Fund said.
Crystal, who is a mother of two, turned loss into hope.
She founded The Iris Fund in memory of her daughter, who was born and passed away due to prematurity in 2017.
Her organization raises money to support research just like what is being done at Columbia.
She is also taking her passion to the pavement in this year’s NYC marathon to spread awareness.
“I think better able to tell women who’s at risk, not at risk. When women are going to have babies, because we do a terrible job of that right now,” Crystal said.
The concept of the digital twins is still in its infancy, but with more funding for research, experts say it could be life-saving.
“We don’t fully understand why it happens. We understand there are risk factors,” Dr. Mirella Mourad, the Director of Preterm Birth Prevention Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center said.
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