Jellico Community Hospital is the first hospital in North America to utilize a state of the art fetal heart monitor.
The hospital in Jellico, Tenn. started using the Philips brand Avalon fetal-maternal monitor on March 17. Matthew Kenney, site supervisor at the hospital said that the transition to the new equipment has been very smooth.
According to a Philips press release the Avalon fetal-maternal monitors can monitor up to three babies and their mother at the same time. The device monitors the vitals of the mother, and the unborn child (or children).
David Russell, vice president of marketing for Philips, said in the press release that with the increase in multiple births, it is necessary for health-care providers to have a device that is able to monitor more than one fetus.
The new device is also apparently supposed to be very user-friendly and comfortable for the mother.