Key Takeaway:
- UPatch is a wearable ultrasound Continuous fetal monitoring patch that continuously monitors fetal health and blood flow, matching standard ultrasound accuracy in trials with 62 pregnant participants.
- It can detect dynamic changes in fetal blood flow, potentially helping doctors identify real risks while avoiding false alarms and unnecessary interventions.
- Still in early testing, the wired prototype could improve prenatal care access and may become a wireless tool for continuous monitoring in the future.
Researchers develop a wearable device for real-time fetal tracking
Researchers at Stanford University and partner institutions have developed a stick-on ultrasound patch that continuously monitors fetal health for hours, offering real-time imaging that may help doctors detect pregnancy complications earlier.
The wearable device, called UPatch, is described as a proof-of-concept technology designed to bridge gaps in current prenatal monitoring methods. Researchers said the patch can track fetal blood flow and movement continuously without requiring a specialist to remain present during monitoring.
The findings, published this week in the journal Nature Biotechnology, come from a collaboration led by Professor Sheng Xu of Stanford University, alongside researchers from Oxford University and the University of California, San Diego.
Trials show patch matches standard ultrasound accuracy
Researchers tested the device on 62 pregnant participants and found its readings closely matched results from standard handheld ultrasound scans. The Continuous fetal monitoring patch monitored blood flow in moving structures, including the umbilical cord, over extended periods.
Current fetal monitoring methods often provide only brief snapshots during pregnancy or produce continuous readings with frequent false alarms, researchers said. UPatch aims to offer more reliable long-term monitoring by automatically tracking fetal health in real time.
The device also revealed that fetal blood flow can fluctuate temporarily without signaling a lasting medical problem. Researchers said the finding could help doctors avoid unnecessary interventions caused by isolated abnormal readings.
In one severe pre-eclampsia case, the patch detected concerning blood-flow changes that prompted doctors to increase monitoring. Physicians later performed a caesarean delivery four days afterward.
Professor Antoniya Georgieva, who contributed to the research, said the technology could expand continuous and noninvasive monitoring during pregnancy.
“This opens the possibility of monitoring fetal wellbeing continuously over much longer periods than currently possible,” Georgieva said.
Researchers see potential for broader prenatal care access
Researchers said the technology may eventually reduce repeated hospital visits and improve prenatal care in areas with limited access to specialists.
Mariana Tome, a researcher involved in the project, said the device could help pregnant women feel safer while lowering the need for repeated scans and avoidable procedures.
“This could reshape the pregnancy experience by offering more support and reassurance during monitoring,” Tome said.
Dr. Tom Park, the study’s first author, said the patch may be especially useful in low-resource settings where trained sonographers and advanced diagnostic tools are scarce.
The researchers cautioned that UPatch remains in the experimental stage. The current version still requires wired equipment and depends on a conventional ultrasound scan for proper placement.
Further clinical trials involving larger and more diverse populations are needed before the technology can be widely adopted, researchers said. Future versions could become wireless and more compact, potentially allowing Continuous fetal monitoring patch outside hospitals.
