According to the WHO, around 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide each year, representing more than 1 in 10 births. However, the survival rate for premature newborns can vary significantly, with up to an 80% difference between high- and low-income countries. The socioeconomic context and available healthcare infrastructure in a region play a crucial role in determining the survival chances of premature babies.
Weight gain is a primary indicator of progress in premature newborns. Healthcare providers may weigh these newborns up to four times a day, which becomes challenging when incubators lack built-in scales. Removing newborns from incubators for weighing exposes them to risks, including heat loss, thermal stress, fluctuations in vital signs, and increased exposure to microorganisms and nosocomial infections. Based on our research, we estimate that in Argentina, fewer than 20% of incubators are equipped with scales, while approximately 60% of in-use incubator models support this feature.
The Systel Neo station consists of a body that adapts to the trays of the most commonly used incubator models in Argentina: Medix PC-305, Medix Natal Care, and Atom Air Incu I. The station's remote control can be positioned for either incubator or pediatric use.
The Systel Neo mobile app provides health workers with a digital registry to monitor patients' weight changes over time. Health workers can connect one or more Systel Neo stations to the app, access records from each station, and set up alerts for weight increases or decreases.
Four magnets in the remote control and two in its anchor ensure a secure lock between them in both the incubator and pediatric use positions. To isolate the station's main body components from the humidity inside incubators, we included rubber rings on each of the four legs and around the body's perimeter, pressed between the upper and lower casings.
