The University of Nottingham has developed a unique technology to allow a baby's heartbeat to be continually monitored during resuscitation.
About 80,000 babies born in the UK every year need some kind of resuscitation, and delays can increase the chance a baby may die or develop brain damage.
The best measure of the need for resuscitation, and how effective it is, is assessment of the newborn's heart rate.
This is performed every 30 seconds with a stethoscope, delaying the resuscitation. To help tackle the issue, the university has teamed up with Derby-based electronics specialist, Tioga, to develop the HeartLight sensor.
This uses a small optical sensor which is placed on the baby's head and shines a light on to the skin tissue. The sensor is able to detect each time a pulse occurs, allowing doctors and midwives to continue resuscitating the baby without the need for frequent pauses to check its heart rate.
