Thursday, November 14, 2013

Blog 10 Technology and Child Birth


Technology Advancement in the Area of Childbirth

Jorge Odon is a 59 year old Argentine car mechanic who overnight came up with an innovation that could drastically change the birth rate and infant mortality rate in poorer nations. Odon built a device that could help a baby who is stuck in the birth canal pass safely. The first prototype of this device was created in his kitchen with a glass jar, a baby doll, and fabric bag to act as the lifesaver device. The Odon device has been licensed for production by an American medical technology company. The device is slipped around the infants head inflated so that a grip is secured and then is pulled to help the baby emerge from the birth canal. The article states that this is an imperative because there has not been lots of advancement to help with the infant mortality and death of mothers during labor rate. Most of the deaths occur because the infants head is too large, or the mother is exhausted and her contractions are no longer present. The current tools that are used to help ease the baby through the birth canal are dangerous in untrained hands whereas the Odon device seems to be able to be used safely by minimally trained hands.  

With this new invention the demographic transition model could possibly change drastically. This technological advancement can truly impact the birth rate  as well as the infant mortality rate in poorer countries and with the same hand can have a huge impact on the amount if caesarian sections in richer nations. This article is a good example of how “working together” in different occupations can have a better outlook for society. This idea takes me back to chapter 1 in the social problems book where we talked about how in the modernization theory there is a constant need for more technology because in order for the world to keep up with constant change we must figure out innovative ways to help humanity have a better survival rate and this device is proof of just that!


Cynthia Brooks

November 14, 2013

10:34 am

 

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