TY - JOUR T1 - Development and evaluation of a novel Vital Signs Alert device for use in pregnancy in low-resource settings JF - BMJ Innovations JO - BMJ Innov SP - 192 LP - 198 DO - 10.1136/bmjinnov-2017-000235 VL - 4 IS - 4 AU - Hannah L Nathan AU - Nicola Vousden AU - Elodie Lawley AU - Annemarie de Greeff AU - Natasha L Hezelgrave AU - Nicola Sloan AU - Nina Tanna AU - Shivaprasad S Goudar AU - Muchabayiwa F Gidiri AU - Jane Sandall AU - Lucy C Chappell AU - Andrew H Shennan Y1 - 2018/10/01 UR - http://innovations.bmj.com/content/4/4/192.abstract N2 - Objectives Haemorrhage, hypertension, sepsis and abortion complications (often from haemorrhage or sepsis) contribute to 60% of all maternal deaths. Each is associated with vital signs (blood pressure (BP) and pulse) abnormalities, and the majority of deaths are preventable through simple and timely intervention. This paper presents the development and evaluation of the CRADLE Vital Signs Alert (VSA), an accurate, low-cost and easy-to-use device measuring BP and pulse with an integrated traffic light early warning system. The VSA was designed to be used by all cadres of healthcare providers for pregnant women in low-resource settings with the aim to prevent avoidable maternal mortality and morbidity.Methods The development and the mixed-methods clinical evaluation of the VSA are described.Results Preliminary fieldwork identified that introduction of BP devices to rural clinics improved antenatal surveillance of BP in pregnant women. The aesthetics of the integrated traffic light system were developed through iterative qualitative evaluation. The traffic lights trigger according to evidence-based vital sign thresholds in hypertension and haemodynamic compromise from haemorrhage and sepsis. The VSA can be reliably used as an auscultatory device, as well as its primary semiautomated function, and is suitable as a self-monitor used by pregnant women.Conclusion The VSA is an accurate device incorporating an evidence-based traffic light early warning system. It is designed to ensure suitability for healthcare providers with limited training and may improve care for women in pregnancy, childbirth and in the postnatal period. ER -