DEVICES
AND MONITORS
Below, you will find information and links to various devices that can assist you in monitoring your health throughout and after your pregnancy.
PREGNANCY.
EMPOWERED.
About EGG HP Device and Monitor Information and Links
Deciding whether to use wearable and other technologies to monitor your health during and after pregnancy is a personal choice.
​
Some people find these devices helpful. Some may find having this extra information is more stressful than they prefer. Working with a prenatal provider to discuss what kind of monitoring may be helpful to you and your health.
​
At EGG HP, we provide information about devices we've used in research studies with pregnant people and new parents and we highlight devices that have been proven to measure key factors related to pregnancy health and pregnancy complications. We also highlight devices that have been shown to be helpful to new parents for monitoring infant health and well-being.
Devices and Monitors Used in the HOPE Study and SMART Alternatives
In the summer of 2020, EGG HP partners and scientists launched the HOPE Study to connect with people around the world who were pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study has enrolled hundreds of people from around the world and now also includes the hundreds of babies born to these mothers. The study is still going strong and in fact, pregnant people can still enroll. Some pregnant people in the study used monitors to track their health. This included blood pressure, sleep/activity, and other monitoring related to immune function and infection including using a pulse oximeter and a thermometer.
​
The devices we used in the HOPE study are listed below as are links to them in amazon. For the study we chose simple devices that were easy to use, gave very clear results, and did not require integration with smart devices. We also provide smart bluetooth alternatives below for those who want that integration.
BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING
The specific blood pressure monitor that the HOPE study participants have used successfully is the Alcedo Blood Pressure Monitor with upper arm cuff. The monitor is about as easy as it gets -- it flashes green when normal and red when high. It also plays a recording to let you know if high or normal.
Use of this cuff has allowed researchers to identify participants who did and did not have high blood pressure and in fact, led to the identification of hypertension in a number of participants who did not know they had it. This is important as there are treatments like low dose aspirin that can be used in some instances to reduce risk.
At the high end and for people who want a monitor that integrates with their iphone and other devices, Withings BPM Connect is a FDA cleared blood pressure cuff that is easy to use and comes in different cuff sizes.
As noted above, if a person has known hypertension it is important that they be under the care of a provider given an increased risk of preterm birth and other complications before and after pregnancy. If when using a blood pressure monitor you have a blood pressure measurement that is at or above 120/80 mm, it is important to contact your health provider as this could be suggestive of illness requiring medical follow-up.
SLEEP AND ACTIVITY MONITORING
The specific sleep/activity monitor that the HOPE study participants used successfully is the FitBit Inspire 2 Watch. Use of this watch allowed researchers to identify participants who were and were not getting 7 or more hours of sleep at night. This is important as researchers found that participants tended to overestimate the amount of sleep they were getting on a questionnaire compared to that determined by watch.
This is important as sleep and particularly, insomnia and other sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
At the high end and for people who want a watch that integrates with their iphone or other devices - the Apple Watch has been consistently shown to useful for tracking sleep (and a lot more).
For those who don't want to wear a watch at night but who want to monitor your sleep, Withings has a sleep pad that goes under the mattress and integrates with the iphone and other devices. As noted above, given that insomnia and other sleep disorders have close links to preterm birth and other pregnancy complications, it is recommended that you contact a provider if your devices suggest you are consistently not getting 7 or more hours of sleep each night. Certain therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful in improving sleep duration and quality.
INFECTION DETECTION AND MONITORING
In addition to the use of survey and test swabs (for infections like COVID-19), in the HOPE study we used two devices to monitor for potential infection - a pulse oximeter and a touchless thermometer.
A pulse oximeter fits over your index finger and is used to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. Normal is when the level is at 95% or higher. In some cases of infection with a virus like, for example, COVID-19, this level can drop below 95% which is cause for concern. Similarly, once a temperature is above 100.4 degrees, there could also be some cause for concern.
The HOPE study used the Zacurate 500DL pulse oximeter and the Disen Touchless thermometer. Withings Thermo is a high end smart thermometer alternative that integrates with apple and other devices. Most pulse oximeters cost less than $25 and are quite simple to use.
Having an infection during pregnancy -- whether bacterial and viral, is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and other complications. As such, if you suspect you have an infection, have a pulse oximetry reading below 95%, or have a fever at or above 100.4 degrees, we recommend that you contact your health provider.
WEIGHT MONITORING
Weight is one of those things in pregnancy that often gets a lot of attention -- and not always for the right reasons.
While having a high body mass index often gets the most attention, it is having a low body mass index before starting pregnancy that is in fact more closely tied to preterm birth.
Pregnant people who have a low body mass index and those with diabetes are two groups where close monitoring of weight gain may be recommended by a provider.
If you want your weight to feed automatically into your iphone or other devices, WIthings has a number of models which range from the fairly simple weight capture of the Body Smart scale to the Body Cardio scale which tracks weight and cardiovascular health.
BABY MONITORING AND SMART DEVICES
Deciding whether to use baby monitors, which to use, and for what purpose is a highly personal decision. Selling devices and monitors related to newborn and infant care is big business and one that at EGG HP we have mostly steered away from as there are so many options - most of which, cameras, listening devices, may provide new parents with some comfort.
​
Recently we did add the SNOO Smart Sleeper to the group of devices we recommend: the big reasons -- sleep for baby and parents and a reduced risk for sudden infant death syndrome.
​
You can read our story here,
You can purchase a SNOO here or rent a SNOO here.
​
The good news: the FDA is currently assessing the SNOO which could make it coverable by insurance!
