INEGI researchers study biomechanical modeling to reduce childbirth complications

A team of INEGI researchers is developing a system capable of simulating childbirth on a computer, to support obstetric practice. The objective is to improve the understanding of the morphophysiological aspects of a vaginal delivery, and thus to support clinical decisions and help more mothers have a complication-free experience.

Based on INEGI's multidisciplinary capabilities in the field of biomechanics, and with the support of the Faculty of Medicine of UPorto (FMUP), the project involves the creation of a tool based on morphing algorithms for personalized modeling, and the development and validation of constitutive models, to characterize different pelvic structures.

This means that health professionals will be able to autonomously analyze the biomechanics associated with childbirth for each patient through a computational platform.

"We want to make it possible to create patient-oriented delivery models in a timely manner, so that each delivery is personalized to avoid complications", explains Dulce Oliveira, responsible for the project at INEGI.

In addition to the clinical advantages, she adds, "the tool will also be of interest at the didactic and research level". For these reasons, the technology "will certainly have direct application in the health industry, and can be commercialized in the future".

The project "SIM4SafeBirth - A biomechanical approach to improve childbirth" is co-funded by FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology.