By Nusaiba Ibrahim
The fight against postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide, is increasingly being strengthened by innovations that can help health workers detect excessive blood loss earlier and respond more quickly.
At the forefront of this effort, Prof. Hadiza Shehu Galadanci, Director of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP) at Bayero University, Kano, recently led a two-day hands-on training in Abuja on the Armor Optical Sensor, an emerging wearable technology being explored for monitoring women undergoing Caesarean section.
The training, held at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, brought together researchers and healthcare professionals from Nigeria and international partners from the United States, United Kingdom and Pakistan. As Principal Investigator (PI) of Nigeria’s E-MASTER Trial (PPH at Caesarean Delivery), Prof. Galadanci led a team that included Dr Saeed Suleiman, Dr Ibrahim Muhammad Danladi, Dr Maryam Lawal Wada, RN Faiza Ibrahim Muhammad and RN Hajara Mahmoud Sani.
Prof. Galadanci has previously highlighted the importance of objective blood-loss measurement, particularly through her work on the E-MOTIVE intervention (PPH at Vaginal Delivery), describing how objective measurement using a calibrated PPH drape can help clinicians identify excessive bleeding more quickly.
The Armor Optical Sensor is a wearable wrist device that can be used during Caesarean section to continuously monitor physiological parameters and provide information that may support assessment of a patient’s haemodynamic status. Its potential application in detecting and monitoring blood loss reflects growing interest in using technology to give clinicians timely information during critical moments of childbirth.
For women experiencing PPH, time is critical. Delays in recognising significant blood loss can delay the initiation of life-saving interventions. Research from the E-MOTIVE trial, in which Prof. Galadanci was a co-author, demonstrated the importance of early, objective detection of PPH and prompt treatment. The trial involved more than 210,000 women across Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania.
Exploring wearable technologies such as the Armor Optical Sensor represents another step toward improving the information available to surgical teams during Caesarean delivery. Rather than relying solely on periodic assessments, technologies capable of providing continuous physiological information could give healthcare workers an additional source of information while a woman is undergoing surgery.
The two-day training gave participants practical exposure to the technology and created an opportunity for researchers and clinicians from different countries to share knowledge and experience around maternal health innovation.
For Prof. Galadanci and the ACEPHAP team, the focus remains clear: finding better ways to recognise danger early, support clinical decision-making and ultimately improve outcomes for mothers and newborns.
“One of the most dangerous experiences for a woman after delivery is to bleed excessively. What drives us is the knowledge that many maternal deaths are preventable, and that smart interventions and dedicated healthcare workers can make a difference,” said Prof. Galadanci.
