A student-led startup on a mission to make postpartum hemorrhage detection accessible, early, and life-saving.
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide, responsible for roughly a quarter of all maternal mortality. Yet in many cases, it's preventable, if detected early enough.
RhealSense was founded with a clear goal. Build an affordable wearable that continuously monitors a new mother's vital signs during the critical hours after childbirth, and surface the earliest warning signs through a simple companion app.
We're a small team of students who believe that better maternal health outcomes shouldn't depend on where you live or what hospital you can afford.
Understanding the scale of the problem is the first step toward solving it.
PPH is defined as blood loss of 500 mL or more within 24 hours after birth. It can develop rapidly and is often recognized too late, especially once new mothers go home.
Current detection often relies on visual estimation of blood loss, which is notoriously inaccurate. By the time rapid heart rate and dropping blood pressure become obvious, the situation may already be critical.
Instead of waiting for visible symptoms, RhealSense monitors the subtle physiological changes (shifts in heart rate, blood-oxygen saturation, and perfusion) that precede severe hemorrhage.
Catching these early signals through the companion app on a mother's phone gives families and care teams a head start to seek help, whether that means a quick call to a clinician or escalating care.
Small device, simple experience. The hard work happens quietly in the background.
A soft, adhesive patch sits comfortably on the skin and uses medical-grade pulse oximetry to read heart rate and blood-oxygen saturation continuously. Light passes through the skin and the device measures how it changes with each heartbeat.
It's small enough to wear under regular clothing, with enough battery to last through a full postpartum window without needing to be removed.
Readings stream wirelessly to the RhealSense companion app on the mother's phone. The app shows live vitals and trends at a glance, and watches for changes that may need attention.
If a concerning pattern emerges, the app raises the alarm right away. No expert interpretation required.