Pregnancy technology for tech-savvy parents and parents-to-be

Let’s face it, welcoming a new addition to the family can be daunting, but pregnancy technology may just help make things incredibly easier for parents and parents-to-be. From conception to pregnancy and beyond, a growing number of consumer gadgets and tools are helping those who want to be more involved in their own care.

Due to a number of reasons, China is a market with huge potential for pregnancy technology. For instance, the newly introduced two-child policy, which came into effect in January 2016, has meant that around 90 million women have become eligible by law to have a second child. As a result, consumer demand for maternity products have since soared dramatically following the new policy relaxation announcement.

From online tools such as ovulation calendars to wearable baby thermometers, our article looks at everything you need to know about pregnancy technology and its role in revolutionizing the maternity experience.

Pre-pregnancy technology: Increasing the odds of pregnancy

For many couples, getting pregnant may require a lot more than just having intercourse. Thankfully, there’s a whole range of pre-pregnancy technology on the market that may just give you the best chance of getting pregnant.

Online ovulation calendars help predict ovulation

Successful conception can come down to an exact science. These days, the internet is full of free online tools that help women predict what time in their cycle they will be ovulating. One such example is our very own ovulation calendar, which you can access by visiting our maternity health insurance page.

Ovulation calendars work by estimating a woman’s fertile days. In other words, it works out the fertile period in a woman’s menstrual cycle when the likelihood of conceiving increases if they have intercourse until two days before and including the day they ovulate. This usually occurs mid-cycle, so ovulation calendars count 14 days backwards from the first day of the woman’s anticipated period.

To use our ovulation calendar, simply enter the date of your last period, and the average length of your cycle. Then, indicate whether your cycle is regular or irregular. After that, click next, and there you have it: you now have an estimation of your next fertile period, as well as the resulting due date.

Testing male fertility from the comfort of your own home

Did you know that around one third of all fertility issues are attributed to men? Common reasons for male fertility issues include low sperm count, as well as reduced sperm mobility. Hailed the “FitBit for sperm”, Trak is a male fertility testing system that allows men to measure and improve their sperm health from the comfort of their own home.

Designed by leading men’s reproductive specialists, it helps men identify whether their sperm concentrations are low, moderate, or optimal. For further information on how Trak works, you can visit their website’s “science behind Trak” page here.

What’s more, the Trak testing system also works with its dedicated Trak: Sperm Health & Fertility app, where users can log and track their sperm test results over time. The app further breaks down semen analysis, and provides personalized tips to improve the user’s reproductive health.

Enhancing the pregnancy experience with prenatal gadgets

Expectant moms want to have the most informed pregnancy possible, and be more involved in their prenatal care. Now, more and more pregnant moms are using consumer technology to monitor and keep track of their pregnancy.

Sound systems for the belly

While there’s no definitive conclusion as to whether playing music or other types of sound has any profound effect on the baby’s development, there are a growing number of baby-bump sound systems on the market. Pregnant moms can now use gadgets such as BellyBuds to play music or even voice recordings to their baby in-utero. All you have to do is adhere the discrete BellyBuds speakers to your belly, and then you can start playing music to your baby wherever you go.

Listening to your baby’s heartbeat

To enjoy the special moment of listening to your baby’s heartbeat in the comfort of your own home, you may want to consider a device like Shell by Bellabeat. This pregnancy technology gadget screens out noise and amplifies the sound of the baby in-utero for those listening in. Additionally, users can record and share their baby’s heartbeat to their friends and family.

Caring for the newborn with post-pregnancy technology

Caring for a newborn can be stressful, and new parents need all the help they can get. From smart clothing to smart pacifiers, let’s look at some of the most revolutionary post-pregnancy technology that are helping new parents look after their newborn child.

Monitoring your baby’s sleep

Monitoring your baby’s sleep to track patterns and changes can ensure that everyone, including the baby and the caregiver, gets quality sleep. With Mimo, a onesie attached to a wearable sensor, you can monitor the baby’s body position, skin temperature and breathing in real-time, as well as see if they’re awake or asleep through its dedicated app.

Taking your baby’s temperature with smart pacifiers

Newborns have weaker immune systems than adults, so it’s important to track and monitor your baby’s temperature on a regular basis. However, it can be tricky to track your baby’s temperature frequently, especially when they’re sleeping. This is where devices like smart pacifiers can help.

Pacif-i is a bluetooth low energy pacifier that continuously monitors your baby’s temperature. Acting as both a pacifier and a smart thermometer, you can receive temperature readings via its dedicated app without disturbing your baby, even when you’re in a different room.

Don’t forget to secure maternity insurance

While pregnancy technology gadgets are indeed revolutionizing the maternity experience and making things a lot easier for tech-savvy parents and parents-to-be, it’s important not to overlook maternity insurance. Private healthcare can be incredibly expensive in China, which is why we advise moms-to-be to obtain maternity insurance early enough on their policy.

The thing to be aware of with maternity insurance is that in most cases it comes with a waiting period of 10 – 12 months. With this in mind, if you’re planning to start a new family, you will need to secure maternity insurance before you conceive if you want to ensure that your maternity costs are covered.

Got any more questions regarding maternity insurance or health insurance in general? Be sure to get in touch with the experts at Pacific Prime China today.

Disclaimer: Pacific Prime China solely represents, operates and manages locally regulated insurance products and services in the territory of PR China. Any references to Pacific Prime Global Company or Group, the international services, insurance products or otherwise stated written or verbally, is for introduction purposes about our overseas network only as each entity is fully independent.