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PregTech: How technology can help you in all stages of your pregnancy
Posted on Apr 20, 2017 by Travis Jones
For those of us that love technology, we can implement it in every facet of our life, and having a child is no exception. Here, UAE Medical Insurance discusses the topic of pregnancy technology and highlights some helpful new maternity gadgets. Find out more.
Are you a tech early adopter? Are you one of the people out there in the world that like to be on the cutting edge of everything? There are different reasons for the phenomenon of early adopters. For some, the bragging rights of being the first among one’s friends is reason enough to buy a brand new technology. Others equate the newest and most expensive technology with the best technology. The latter reason is more likely to apply to medical care, as it would be odd to brag to your friends about the new machine your doctor used on you. In particular, an area of medicine where people will want the absolute best is when it comes to a parent’s new child. With this in mind, UAE Medical Insurance discusses new technologies that can tackle some of the challenges of conception, pregnancy and raising a newborn in the UAE.
Pre-pregnancy
It has been noticed for years now that women in the UAE are waiting longer than ever to get married and/or have children. As of 2009, the average age of a woman giving birth in the UAE was 27.1, but in 2017 that number is surely higher. Statistics in Dubai, for example, show that there were already more babies being born to women over the age of 30 than under in the emirate in 2014. Non-Emirati women in the country also were waiting longer to have babies than their Emirati counterparts that year 2017 even marked the birth of a baby girl to a 63-year-old mother in Dubai! What’s more, modern fertility treatments have even allowed women in their 70s to bear children.
Due to the facts above, it’s no wonder that hi-tech fertility solutions are in high demand in the UAE. Let’s look at some products that can aid people hoping to make an addition to their family.
Ovulation Apps
When it comes to getting pregnant, timing can be everything. As most women know, there is a time during each menstrual cycle in which they are the most fertile; however this window can vary from person-to-person. This is where utilizing an ovulation app can be so beneficial. By tracking their cycles, women can maximize their chances of becoming pregnant by waiting for the best days to try to conceive. UAE Medical Insurance’s partner in Asia, Pacific Prime, even has such an ovulation calendar on their website that you can check out now. By entering a small amount of info, you can know when your best window for conception is, and even what a baby’s due date is likely to be.
Male fertility trackers
Women aren’t the only ones that have fertility issues. It is reported by the Mayo Clinic that 15% of couples have fertility issues, and males are the culpable party for up to half of these issues. While there is no particular time of the month in which a man is more fertile, there are still options available that allow man to improve his chances of conception without having to resort to assistance at a fertility clinic.
One such method is with a male fertility testing system called Trak. Combining a device that uses centrifugal force to test sperm and a corresponding app, men can measure their sperm quality and then be taught how to improve it via recommendations given by the app.
During pregnancy
While a woman is pregnant, it is generally the doctors and medical care providers that will handle monitoring development of the baby and handling any problems that arise, but there are steps that women can take at home that use technology to bond with the baby even before it is born.
Sounds in the womb
While the science of subjecting a baby in the womb to noise is still out as far as the full ramifications are concerned, there have been individual studies – like one produced by Livestrong – that have suggested a correlation between alertness in newborns and music recognition. Science is confident that sounds won’t affect a fetus’s development, and there are many inventions out there that are made explicitly for the purpose of letting your baby enjoy some tunes with you while it’s in the womb.
Hearing baby’s heartbeat
If you have had a baby before, no doubt you are familiar with the big, fancy ultrasound machines that are found at clinics and hospitals worldwide. Some of these are superior to others, but now there are even options – such as the Bellabeat Shell - where parents-to-be can purchase a home ultrasound machine that will allow them to monitor their baby’s heartbeat as it develops. Just pop your phone and attached device on your tummy and you can listen, record and share baby’s rhythms with whomever you please.
Newborn tech
Many congratulations will be had upon the birth of a new baby, but any veteran parent knows that the fun is just starting. While there are many challenges facing new parents, new gadgets are out there that will not only make the process easier, but also more fun for people that love playing with technological toys.
Measure baby’s sleep
Many adults these days have wearable technology that tracks their sleeping patterns, which can be crucial information for a person’s health. This type of technology has not trickled down to infants… until now. Products like Mimo connect your baby’s sleep to caregivers’ mobile devices to better help parents understand their child’s sleep habits, including breathing and sleep position. What’s more, it can do this without an uncomfortable wristband of some sort, as the device measuring sleep is sewn into a onesie that the baby can wear, or the sheet on which he or she sleeps.
Check baby’s temperature
Taking your baby’s temperature is something that has really evolved over the decades. Now, however, rather than an uncomfortable rectal thermometer or a less exact electronic device that measures temperature via the ear or forehead, smart pacifiers - like that offered by Pacif-i – allows for temperature taking that actually comforts and quiets your baby. This piece of tech even has a connected app so that you can easily record baby’s results.
Health insurance and technology
Perhaps the allure of these fancy new devices will leave people wondering if their maternity or health insurance will cover the costs for them. Sadly, by and large the answer to this question will be no. The only exception to this would be if your doctor prescribed such a device after deeming it to be medically necessary, but it would be wise to liaise with your insurance company before making any such purchase.
Even without insurance covering the cost of these types of devices, new parents in the UAE will undoubtedly still want the very best for their new baby. This will usually dictate that they utilize the high cost private hospitals with the latest technology, like those found in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is where possessing high quality maternity insurance, and subsequently family health insurance, will be key. With these insurances, parents can rest assured that costs related to pregnancy, labor, delivery, possible complications and beyond will be taken care of; giving them more money to use on gadgets for the home.
To get started on finding the insurance policies that are best for your needs, contact the helpful insurance advisers at UAE Medical Insurance. They are standing by to answer all of your questions, provide plan comparisons from various major insurers, and give you a free price quote.
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