Microlife Vital Signs Alert (VSA)

Microlife Vital Signs Alert (VSA), the first device in the world that can detect dangerously high blood pressure levels in pregnant women and whether a woman is likely to go into shock after blood loss during childbirth, developed by Professor Andrew Shennan, a consultant obstetrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, made by Microlife, Switzerland, 2015.

With a traffic light warning system of green, amber, and red, this blood-pressure device can be read anyone near-by to alert for the need for help. A computer algorithm inside the device analyses the blood pressure readings from the person with the cuff around their arm.

Professor Andrew Shennan, Professor of Obstetrics at King's College London developed the device over 20 years. High blood pressure during pregnancy can indicate pre-eclampsia, a potentially deadly condition for both mother and baby. Recognising this as as early as possible is one way to prevent deaths. The device can also calculate the risk of shock following a drop in blood pressure caused by blood loss during childbirth.

The device was developed so it could be easily used anywhere in the world where there is access to electricity to recharge the battery via USB. Costing £20 each, the blood pressure machine was hoped to be affordable and accessible while remaining accurate in high temperatures and humidity. Professor Andrew Shennan said in 2015 that “the Microlife VSA will prevent deaths by detecting the signs of shock and high blood pressure early. We’re confident that by using the device in the care of these pregnant women, we can cut maternal mortality by at least 25%.”

The device was developed with the help of $1 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. MicroLife was named in the ‘top 30’ Innovation Countdown 2030 by the United Nations, a list that identifies and showcases high-impact technology that could solve the world’s most urgent health issues.