Wireless Neonatal Heart Rate Detection for the Delivery Room; Researching the Influence of Different Factors on the Decision to Terminate a Pregnancy After Genetic Abnormality Diagnosis

Both my STS project and technical project explore aspects of fetal and neonatal health, respectively. My technical project focuses on creating an wireless neonatal heart rate detection device for the delivery room that is both accurate and efficient. Creating this device will be highly beneficial and impactful for neonatal health and delivery outcomes as it will give healthcare providers a clearer indication of the need for resuscitation. Oftentimes, heart rate detection methods that are used in the delivery room are either inaccurate or inefficient (or both). Discrepancies in heart rate measurement can lead to higher user error, thus resulting in resuscitation being performed on a baby that does not need it, or resuscitation not being performed on a baby that does need it. It is important to only perform resuscitation on a baby when it is absolutely necessary, as it can be damaging to the baby’s delicate organs and structure. This novel device, while important for all newborns, can be especially pertinent to those born with genetic abnormalities as they may be more prone to resuscitation and thus need an accurate heart rate measurement.
Thinking of the parents having to witness resuscitative attempts on their baby, there are likely many factors that led to an individual’s decision to have the baby in the first place, especially knowing that the baby has genetic abnormalities which could potentially have implications for the rest of their life. There is also the other end of the spectrum, as well, in which an individual may not choose to have their baby after a prenatal genetic abnormality diagnosis. As such, my STS project focuses on the different groups of factors that influence the decision to terminate a pregnancy after a prenatal genetic abnormality diagnosis. Decisions like these are never easy, and there are typically many intertwined factors involved. My STS project aims to break down the decision and understand the complexities of how different factors influence each other and can be related through Latour’s Actor-Network Theory. It also aims to provide a holistic and comprehensive view of different factors for analysis.