Nonsurgical Microwave Procedure Uncovers Pregnancy Risks

    Sept. 12, 2007
    During pregnancy, the physiological changes that occur can result in complications for the mother and—in turn—the fetus. At the Microwave Tomography and Materials Research Laboratory's Department of Electronics at Cochin University of Science and ...

    During pregnancy, the physiological changes that occur can result in complications for the mother and—in turn—the fetus. At the Microwave Tomography and Materials Research Laboratory's Department of Electronics at Cochin University of Science and Technology, in-vitro measurements of amniotic fluid were done using a rectangular cavity perturbation technique in the 2-to-3-GHz frequency range. Because this method can rely on a low-volume sample, it is appropriate for limited samples like amniotic fluid. The researchers—Anil Lonappan, Vinu Thomas, G. Bindu, Joe Jacob, C. Rajasekaran, and K.T. Mathew—specifically measured the dielectric parameters of the amniotic fluid. Different samples were taken as a function of gestation weeks. They produced a conductivity change at the end of normal pregnancies and consistent conductivity in complicated ones. That increase in conductivity was due to the presence of higher levels of glucose or protein in the normal amniotic-fluid samples. See "Non Surgical Life Saving Diagnostic Procedure Using Microwaves," Microwave And Optical Technology Letters, Oct. 2007, p. 2364.

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    Nancy Friedrich | RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense, Keysight Technologies

    Nancy Friedrich is RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense at Keysight Technologies. Nancy Friedrich started a career in engineering media about two decades ago with a stint editing copy and writing news for Electronic Design. A few years later, she began writing full time as technology editor at Wireless Systems Design. In 2005, Nancy was named editor-in-chief of Microwaves & RF, a position she held (along with other positions as group content head) until 2018. Nancy then moved to a position at UBM, where she was editor-in-chief of Design News and content director for tradeshows including DesignCon, ESC, and the Smart Manufacturing shows.

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