Home Ultrasound System Enhances Remote Fetal Monitoring Safely

In recent years, the adoption of telehealth solutions has been on the rise to reduce in-person visits. One innovative technology that has emerged is self-operated home ultrasound, which extends fetal monitoring beyond traditional clinic settings. These systems offer benefits such as improved access, increased patient engagement, and early detection of complications, particularly in cases where in-person care is challenging.

The Pulsenmore ES system, developed by Pulsenmore in Israel, allows expectant mothers to perform ultrasound scans at home using a handheld device connected to a smartphone app. This system provides basic fetal monitoring, including assessing fetal heart activity, movements, and amniotic fluid volume estimation. It is designed to supplement standard prenatal care and enhance remote fetal monitoring.

Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest health maintenance organization, adopted this technology in March 2021. The service was offered to pregnant women in the app-guided mode, allowing them to perform self-scans at their discretion. The primary aim was to increase maternal reassurance between scheduled visits, enhance patient engagement, and improve access to fetal monitoring outside clinical settings.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on pregnant women who used Clalit’s home ultrasound service compared to non-users between January 2020 and December 2022. The study included 4,083 users and 102,591 non-users, with similar HMO insurance status. Users were found to have higher socioeconomic scores, increased primiparity, and a higher incidence of chronic diseases and pregnancy complications.

The study evaluated primary outcomes such as preterm delivery and a composite adverse neonatal outcome. Results showed that there was no significant difference in preterm birth rates or adverse neonatal outcomes between users and non-users. Additionally, the utilization of the home ultrasound device was deemed safe and not associated with any adverse pregnancy outcomes for mothers or neonates.

Detailed analyses were performed on factors like neonatal birthweight, placental abruption, and labor induction rates. The study found no significant association between home ultrasound use and these outcomes. Even when examining the duration and frequency of device utilization, no significant linear relationship was detected with adverse outcomes.

This real-world study provided valuable insights into the safety and effectiveness of self-operated home ultrasound during pregnancy. The technology proved to be a safe supplement to standard prenatal care, offering expectant mothers a convenient and reassuring way to monitor their pregnancies remotely. As telehealth solutions continue to evolve, the integration of home ultrasound systems like Pulsenmore ES could enhance antenatal care and maternal-fetal monitoring practices in the future.