New app predicts risk of preterm birth

A new app called QUiPP can help doctors predict a pregnant woman’s risk of premature birth. The app was developed at King’s College London and is free to download in the Apple App Store.

QuiPP uses an algorithm that combines three factors that affect preterm birth: history of preterm births or late miscarriages; length of the cervix; and levels of a vaginal fluid called fibronectin.

The app was used in two studies and was found effective. In the first study, QUiPP was used on women deemed to be a high risk of preterm birth, usually because of a previous early pregnancy, despite not showing any symptoms. The second study predicted the likelihood of early delivery in a group of women showing symptoms of early labour which often doesn’t progress to real labour.

However, researchers say more work is needed to improve the app and make sure that intervention will help “high risk” women.

Professor Andrew Shennan, lead author who is Professor of Obstetrics at King’s College London and consultant obstetrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The more accurately we can predict her risk, the better we can manage a woman’s pregnancy to ensure the safest possible birth for her and her baby, only intervening when necessary to admit these ‘higher risk’ women to hospital, prescribe steroids or offer other treatments to try to prevent an early birth.”

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Category: Features, Technology & Devices