Background The postpartum period is a vulnerable time for the pelvic floor. Early implementation of pelvic floor muscle exercises, appropriately termed as pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), in the postpartum period has been advocated because of its established effectiveness. The popularity of mobile health (mHealth) devices highlights their perceived utility. The effectiveness of various mHealth technologies with claims to support pelvic floor health and fitness is yet to be substantiated through systematic inquiry. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and potential effect on outcomes of an mHealth device purposed to facilitate pelvic floor muscle training among postpartum women. Methods A 16-week mixed methods pilot study was conducted to evaluate outcomes and determine aspects of acceptability and feasibility of an mHealth device. All participants received standardized examination of their pelvic floor muscles and associated instruction on the correct performance of PFMT. Those randomized to the iBall intervention received instructions on its use. Schedules for utilization of the iBall and PFMT were not prescribed, but all participants were informed of the standard established recommendation of PFMT, which includes 3 sets of 10 exercises, 3 to 4 times a week, for the duration of the intervention period. Quantitative data included the measurement of pelvic floor muscle parameters (strength, endurance, and coordination) following the PERFECT assessment scheme: Incontinence Impact Questionnaire scores and the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) scores. Aspects of acceptability and feasibility were collected through one-to-one interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Thorne’s interpretive description approach. Results A total of 23 women with a mean age of 32.2 years were randomized to an intervention group (n=13) or a control group (n=10). Both groups improved on all measures. The only statistically significant change was the UDI-6 score within both groups at 16 weeks compared with baseline. There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention group and control group on any outcomes. Most participants using the iBall (n=10, 77%) indicated value in the concept of the mHealth solution. Technical difficulties (n=10, 77%), a cumbersome initiation process (n=8, 61%), and discomfort from the device (n=8, 61%) were reasons impeding intervention acceptability. Most participants (n=17, 74%) indicated that the initial assessment and training was more useful than the mHealth solution, a tenet that was echoed by all control group participants. Conclusions Our pilot study demonstrated the potential for mHealth solution–enhanced PFMT in the early postpartum period. Usability issues in hardware and software hindered feasibility and acceptance by the participants. Our findings can inform the redesign of mHealth soluti...

Urine testing is a powerful clinical diagnostic tool. The noninvasive collection of samples and wide range of diagnostic targets found in urine makes urinalysis well suited for point-of-care (PoC) monitoring applications. Complete urinalysis testing faces many limitations due to the large quantity of samples processed, the time required for testing, and the labor involved in sample preparation and processing. Development of PoC urinalysis devices with microfluidic technology can enable the detection of infections and monitoring of chronic disease while reducing the demand on testing facilities. In this article, current approaches in clinical urinalysis are reviewed. Emerging sensing and imaging technologies specifically suitable for point-of-care examination of urine samples are discussed with an outlook on the future of point of care urinalysis devices as well as emerging applications enabled by these technologies such as in situ monitoring of Activities of Daily Living (ADL).

Urine testing is an essential clinical diagnostic tool. The presence of urine sediments, typically analyzed through microscopic urinalysis or cell culture, can be indicative of many diseases, including bacterial, parasitic, and yeast infections, as well as more serious conditions like bladder cancer. Current urine analysis diagnostic methods are usually centralized and limited by high cost, inconvenience, and poor sensitivity. Here, we developed a lensless projection imaging optofluidic platform with motion-based particle analysis to rapidly detect urinary constituents without the need for concentration or amplification through culture. A removable microfluidics channel ensures that urine samples do not cross contaminate and the lens-free projection video is captured and processed by a low-cost integrated microcomputer. A motion tracking and analysis algorithm is developed to identify and track moving objects in the flow. Their motion characteristics are used as biomarkers to detect different urine species in near real-time. The results show that this technology is capable of detection of red and white blood cells, Trichomonas vaginalis, crystals, casts, yeast and bacteria. This cost-effective device has the potential to be implemented for timely, point-of-care detection of a wide range of disorders in hospitals, clinics, long-term care homes, and in resource-limited regions.

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