10134909BirthGlide- Enhanced PrototypingClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKOut of ~681k childbirths in the UK or 134M births globally, about ~30% of women/birthing people suffer from complicated labour that requires traumatic procedures such as instrumental delivery or emergency caesarean section. Although effective, these interventions are usually performed in theatre, significantly increase costs, and pose potential risks of harm to both the mother and the baby. Among high-risk groups such as in first-time mothers, the chance of complicated labour could be as high as 44%-69%. In regions with limited access to advanced procedures, complicated labour results in preventable maternal and neonatal death. The BirthGlide team is developing a novel, simple-to-use, low-cost device that is designed to reduce the incidence of complicated labour and the need for instrumental delivery/emergency C-sections. The device is intended to be a preventative treatment in the majority of vaginal deliveries to facilitate a safer birth and potentially save lives in regions with limited access to advanced maternity care.