A small experiment suggests that a smartphone application may not give an accurate finding on measuring blood pressure in pregnant women.
According to the senior study author Dr. Thilo Burkard of the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland, a correct diagnosis of pregnancy related hypertension is crucial to tailor individual therapy, especially during pregnancy.
Researchers tested an experimental smartphone app that uses the phone’s camera to monitor blood flow in the index finger with each heartbeat. They compared results from the app to traditional blood pressure measurements taken on 96 occasions in 32 pregnant women.
They wanted to find out if the smartphone app could produce blood pressure readings similar to those recorded with a traditional blood pressure cuff. But the app failed to meet this goal often enough to be considered an accurate test of blood pressure.
