New scanners prevent dangerous bleeding during childbirth
When expectant parents arrive at a birthing center, they just want a healthy baby, but unexpected turns in the delivery room, like hemorrhaging, could endanger both mother and child.
According to WRAL's Dr. Allen Mask, a new system is designed to detect bleeding problems early to prevent a crisis.
Emily Sills was born two and a half years ago. When her parents, Wes and Laurie, arrived at UNC Rex Hospital, routine screening revealed concerns.
"My blood pressure was high when I checked in," said Laurie.
During delivery, there was some excessive blood loss.
The same hemorrhaging issue occurred when Laurie's second daughter, Lily Kate, was born a few months ago, but it was worse.
"I just remember praying the whole time, 'God, please let me stop bleeding,' because I started to feel a little bit light headed with the second one," said Laurie. "I was losing so much blood."
Typically, delivery room staff are trained in how to make educated guesses about blood loss, but underestimating hemorrhaging can delay the proper response.
Pregnancy doctors and birthing centers usually screen for hemorrhaging risk based on risk factors, including a medical history of hemorrhaging, multiple births and pregnancy with multiples like twins or triplets.
"Time is of the essence with a hemorrhage, because a mom who's bleeding can bleed real fast," said April Lalumiere, a registered nurse and the Director of Rex's Women's and Children's Hospital.
The hospital has invested in a new system called Triton and created by Gauss Surgical. In a C-Section scenario , iPad and iPod technology is used to scan blood soaked items as well as blood-filled canisters. The system detects blood hemoglobin versus other fluids.
If a lap sponge is over-saturated, the item is weighed on a scale, and a blood loss total is displayed on the screen.
A similar version without camera scanning is used in vaginal deliveries. "We are fortunate to have a system that is able to get all that out and give us the true accurate, minute by minute blood loss," said Dr. Katherine Barrett, an OB/GYN at Rex.
Everything turned out well for the Sills and their beautiful daughters.
"We feel we were at the right place with the right people," said Wes.
