Regression-Based Pregnancy Risk Scoring for Newborn Brain Damage

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods fail to reliably predict brain damage in newborns before birth, limiting timely interventions and effective preventive strategies for brain-damaged infants.

Innovation Solution

A method involving determining risk factors during pregnancy, calculating a pregnancy risk score using odds ratios, and applying a regression equation to predict brain damage or physical state in newborns, utilizing a smartphone app for clinical diagnostic support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If comprehensive medical history and risk factor assessment are conducted during pregnancy, then early recognition of oxygen deprivation risk is improved, but the complexity of diagnostic procedures increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveearly recognition of oxygen deprivation riskVSAvoidcomplexity of diagnostic procedures
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The diagnostic process is segmented into distinct components: determining individual risk factors (infections, bleeding, stress situations), calculating separate odds ratios for each factor, and combining them into an overall pregnancy risk score. This segmentation makes the complex diagnostic procedure more manageable and systematic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The method performs preliminary risk assessment during pregnancy by evaluating risk factors and calculating pregnancy risk scores before delivery occurs. This allows early identification of infants at risk for brain damage, enabling preventive interventions to be prepared in advance rather than waiting for birth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If pregnancy risk scoring system is implemented, then prediction accuracy of brain damage risk is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprediction accuracy of brain damage riskVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from observed outcomes (actual brain damage occurrences in newborns) to refine and validate the pregnancy risk scoring model. The odds ratios and regression equations are derived from statistical analysis of historical data, creating a feedback loop that improves prediction accuracy over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The method transforms qualitative risk factors into quantitative parameters by assigning specific odds ratios to each risk factor. These numerical parameters are then combined using regression equations to produce a continuous pregnancy risk score, enabling precise mathematical prediction of brain damage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If early intervention preparations are made based on risk assessment, then prevention of brain damage is improved, but the time and resources required increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of brain damageVSAvoidtime for preparations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs risk assessment and calculates pregnancy risk scores during pregnancy, well before delivery occurs. This preliminary action allows healthcare providers to identify at-risk infants in advance and prepare appropriate interventions (such as having neuroprotective medications ready or planning for immediate postnatal monitoring) before the critical moment of birth arrives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4631419A1Predicting a risk of brain damage in a newborn and/or a physical state of the newborn prior to birth of the newborn during pregnancy
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 JENSEN ARNE
  • EP4631419A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4631419A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4631419A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A method for predicting a risk of brain damage in a newborn and/or a physical state of the newborn prior to birth of the newborn during pregnancy comprises the following steps: i) Determining the presence of one or more risk factors during pregnancy which are associated with brain damage in the newborn; ii) Calculating a pregnancy risk score by summing up odds ratios which quantify the association between the one or more risk factors and a poor predicted psychomotor development of infants at preschool age; iii) Using a regression equation to predict a risk of brain damage in the newborn and/or the physical state of the newborn based on the calculated pregnancy risk score.