Project title

Born without trauma, a biomechanical approach to improve childbirth outcomes

Scientific Coordinator's name:

Marco Parente

Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:

mparente@fe.up.pt

Principal R&D Unit:

Design and Experimental Validation Unit

Other R&D Units involved in the project:

Other R&D units involved in the project

Project keyword(s)

Biomechanics, numerical simulation, modelling, damage, childbirth

Short abstract and comments

The main objective of the proposed research project is to develop a biomechanical 3D patient-oriented numerical simulator of childbirth with the anatomical data of each parturient and a reconstruction of anatomy, bones, perineum, including muscles, quality of tissues and fetal mobility.This framework will be used to simulate the delivery of each patient, confronting pelvic and fetal anatomy at each step of delivery with different hypotheses of fetal presentation.

Potential uses/indications

Obstetrics. This will allow determining eventual zones of pathologic constraints dring childbirth, possible dystocia commanding caesarean, or lesions of soft tissues, perineum or anal sphincter in the patient, depressed fracture of the skull, collarbone or humeral fracture in the fetus.