In collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), I designed a baby resuscitation table that allows for a delay in cord clamping for newborn babies who need resuscitation directly after birth. Resuscitation is an emergency medical intervention performed right after childbirth to assist babies who cannot breathe after birth. Historically, newborns are removed from the umbilical cord during resuscitation measures.  

More time on the umbilical cord allows the baby to receive oxygen from the mother's blood during resuscitation treatment, enabling the newborn to start life with a higher blood volume.  My design objective was to create a product used during childbirth that allowed resuscitation activities to be performed while the newborn remains attached to the umbilical cord. 

The design criteria were based on interactive and iterative research; I combined the design process by testing the prototypes with the users (neonatologist, obstetrician, midwife, and mother). This research gave me the design inputs I needed to define the design outputs.

The end product is a portable, compact resuscitation table with all vital equipment within reach. The table allows the neonatologist to treat the newborn attached to the umbilical cord without obstructing the obstetrician or midwife, providing physicians additional time to perform life-saving measures(respiration support,  lung fluid aspiration, chest compression, and warmth). 

With my groundbreaking design, it is now possible for newborn babies to remain on the umbilical while physicians perform resuscitation measures.

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The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) patented my design (link to patent) for the new baby resuscitation table and started the company Concord Neonatal to produce and sell the table all over the world.