Our Design

Proposed Solution: The DuoPouch

The DuoPouch is a calibrated obstetric drape that continuously measures postpartum blood loss using removable conical pouches. The first pouch collects amniotic fluid and other substances prior to the delivery of the placenta while the second pouch is designated for blood, and will open up after the first pouch is removed. There is an absorbent pad (Chux Pad) on top of the drape where the patient’s buttock is that provides a cushion to the patient and can collect any excess fluid that does not enter the pouches. This is a low-cost alternative that can be used around the world to help diagnose postpartum hemorrhage and decrease the maternal mortality rate.

Objectives and Requirements

Functional Objective:

Faster method of quantifying/ estimating blood loss
Higher accuracy of quantifying blood loss

Design Requirements:

Low cost, single- use drape
2 pouches to collect the different fluids
Pouches can hold at least 2 L of fluid
Absorbent padding to absorb any excess fluid
Pouches can be separated from the drape
Drape is compatible with other devices

Key Design Components

Two Pouches

The first pouch is used to collect amniotic fluid while the second pouch is used to collect blood.

Tear Away

Pouches can easily be torn away from the drape due to perforations in the plastic. The photo above shows what remains after tearing away the pouches.

Closure Mechanism

A flap and double-sided tape are used to close the pouches to ensure fluid doesn't leak when the pouches are being disposed of.

All of these design components are unique to this calibrated drape.

Initial Designs

CAD Model

Measurements in meters

Summary

This two pouch drape provides a continuous, quantitative measurement of blood loss during the immediate postpartum period of childbirth in order to diagnose postpartum hemorrhage. The goal of this product is to reduce maternal mortality rates due to undiagnosed, or late diagnosis, of postpartum hemorrhage.

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