Berlin - Doctors in Germany have captured a live birth by open MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) for the first time, offering insight into potential pregnancy complications.
Dr Christian Bamberg, a physician on the research team at Berlin's Charite hospital, said: “The main reasons for the research are to answer the question of why a birth may stall and to visually capture the birthing process and any complications.”
A stalled birth often results in a Caesarean delivery, which carries risks to mother and baby. One in three babies in Germany is delivered by Caesarean, government statistics show.
Bamberg said the MRI images allowed the team of researchers to observe the first stage of labour in three dimensions, showing detailed visuals where previous scans were either too poor in quality or too dangerous for the mother and foetus.
“The images are spectacular,” Bamberg said. “They show which movements the foetus makes in the birth canal, how its bones move and how its head changes shape during birth.”
The birth was on November 20 and the scan lasted one hour. - Reuters