Florida State University researchers are developing a pair of goggles that flashes a blue light at a sleeping pregnant mother at risk for preterm labor to slow or even prevent such labor problems.
Associate Professor James Olcese is the researcher heading the development that is being funded by the $35,000 GAP award money Olcese recently won for the university.
Ideally, the flash of blue light could cause a drop in the brain hormone melatonin, which is tied to contractions. This will either slow or prevent preterm labor, according to a press statement.
"They could simply have them on their night stand and put them on if they are feeling contractions," Olcese said.
Researchers of the study observed that many women went into labor at night when melatonin is at its peak. When they were subjected to bright light overnight, the cells associated with contractions saw a drop in melatonin levels, suppressing contractions and potentially delaying labor.
"We can use that information to develop ways of helping women either in inducing labor or, conversely, mechanisms that would prevent or slow the contractions a month or two earlier in the pregnancy," Olcese said.
Preterm birth is the birth of an infant prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of eight infants in the United States is born prior to the 37-week mark. Thirty-five percent of infant deaths are associated with preterm labor.
For the study, a group of patients were exposed to a computer-monitor-sized lamp shining full-spectrum light. But, that interrupted sleeping patterns and was generally uncomfortable for some participants. Hence Olcese proposed the use of blue light that will not disturb the sleeping mother yet serve the purpose of reducing melatonin levels.
The development is still in its early stages but researchers are hopeful that they will have a product ready to be sold in markets by next year.