Hanna Castrén Niemi, a Biodesign program alumna and the INGA Team, has been awarded an Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-H) grant to revolutionize labor induction through her groundbreaking project, Home-Based Safe & Intelligent Labor Inductions. Remarkably the INGA team was the only project in Europe to receive the funding. This initiative leverages cutting-edge wireless sensor technology to remotely monitor maternal and fetal health, offering a safe, comfortable alternative to traditional hospital-based procedures.
Labor induction is a commonly performed procedure in modern obstetrics; however, it remains a high-risk process for both mothers and babies, particularly for women of color. INGA Health, a pioneering maternal-fetal research team born out of the Biodesign Finland program at Aalto University, is set to transform labor induction protocols with its intelligent biometric monitoring platform, INGA Intelligent.
"Our incredible team aims to address the critical challenges of labor induction, especially for women in rural areas who face limited access to obstetric care. We believe that high-quality birth healthcare should be accessible to every woman globally. With the unwavering support of our partners in Finland, we’ve been able to make significant progress in our research. Now, with additional ARPA-H funding from the U.S., our team will continue to build a better future for prenatal health for all women—regardless of their shape, size, or color." - Hanna Castrén Niemi
Intrducing the INGA team
The INGA team is renowned experts in obstetric and gynecologic research— @LeenaR and @HeidiK—and leaders in electrical and biomedical engineering—@LauriP and @Aki. INGA Health has selected the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) - Center for Maternal Fetal Care as their U.S. clinical research partner. By merging state-of-the-art technology with deep clinical expertise in both the EU and U.S. markets, INGA Health aims to make labor induction safer, more accessible, and data-driven—potentially saving lives and redefining maternal care worldwide.
The INGA innovation
The innovation centers on a wireless sensor system designed to track critical maternal and fetal biometrics in real time. This enables healthcare providers to make data-driven decisions remotely, ensuring optimal care while reducing the need for prolonged hospital stays. By offering an outpatient labor induction solution, the project seeks to significantly improve outcomes for high-risk pregnancies, a demographic that continues to grow globally.
In the United States alone, this solution could save up to $800 million annually in insurance costs, underscoring its potential to deliver both clinical and economic benefits. The focus on enhancing outpatient care positions this project as a vital step toward patient-centered healthcare innovation.
The project embodies the spirit of innovation fostered by the Biodesign program, highlighting its mission to tackle pressing healthcare challenges with transformative solutions. As development progresses, this innovation holds the promise of redefining labor induction practices, benefiting both patients and healthcare providers alike.
more info: www.inga.health