Cervical monitor to spot risk of early labor
Official title: Cervix monitor for risk assessment of spontaneous preterm delivery
Funded at Advanced Tactile Imaging, INC. · NIH-11171650 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small device that measures cervical softness and shortening to help identify pregnant people who may go into labor too early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Advanced Tactile Imaging, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Trenton, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2016 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $857,783 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HD090793-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171650 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant people in the second trimester or later who are being followed for risk of spontaneous preterm birth.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant, or whose preterm delivery risk is due to non-cervical medical reasons, would not be expected to benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project is developing a handheld cervix monitor that uses elastography to measure cervical softness, shortening, and dilation more objectively than a manual exam. The device aims to produce repeatable numeric biomarkers of cervical ripening that can be collected during routine prenatal visits. Researchers plan clinical testing that compares device readings with pregnancy outcomes and with current scores like the Bishop score. If validated, the device would be low-cost, noninvasive, and usable in outpatient clinics to flag people at risk of spontaneous preterm birth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the monitor could help clinicians find pregnancies at high risk for preterm birth earlier so preventive treatments or closer monitoring can be offered.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies of cervical elastography and objective cervical measures have shown promising signals but remain preliminary, so this work builds on encouraging but not yet definitive evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Advanced Tactile Imaging, INC.
Trenton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Egorov, Vladimir — Advanced Tactile Imaging, INC.
- Study coordinator: Egorov, Vladimir
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.