Improved women’s childbirth experience and outcomes.
Safe. Gentle. Accurate.
OUR MISSION
Ciconia Medical introduces the first medical device to replace the vaginal exam every woman goes through during labor, currently done by fingers.
Our device allows a safe, gentle and accurate process for an improved women’s labor experience and outcomes.
The Problem
Each year, over 140 million pregnant women worldwide endure repetitive manual vaginal exams, known as painful, intrusive and inaccurate.
The majority of women report the exam as painful, traumatic and embarrassing
Women’s approach against the exam, the World Health Organization, multiple medical studies, as well as the high costs associated with the exam, are all calling for an alternative.
today’s vaginal exams
Vaginal exams provide key information for labor assessment and used as the base for critical decisions, such as: Inductions, C-Sections, Amniotomies
Fingers are inserted into the vagina to assess:
Vaginal exams during labor haven’t changed in centuries.
Endured by 140 million women around the world who give birth every year, they are a major contributor to Maternal Morbidity and Mortality (MMM)
Intrusive and painful
The majority of women, 80%, report that vaginal exams during labor are painful or unbearable.
Additionally, one fifth of women who give birth experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and as much as 34% describe their birth experience as traumatic.
These exams can be particularly challenging for women who have a history of sexual abuse.
Subjective & high error rate
Vaginal exams during labor are known for their high error rates of 50%, leading to unnecessary interventions such as c-sections and inductions. This is due to their inaccuracy and subjectivity, as different clinicians can measure different dilation levels, and even the same clinician can get varying results when repeating the exam.
These exams are heavily relied upon when determining labor arrest, which is the leading cause for performing c-sections, putting the health and well-being of mothers and babies at risk, both in the short and long term. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that labor arrest can rarely be diagnosed with certainty.
Unfortunately, c-sections are becoming increasingly common, with 1 in 3 births in the US being done by c-section, many of which are unnecessary and costly. According to the WHO, the rate of c-sections should be between 10-15%.
Risk of infections
The World Health Organization and various medical literature recommend reducing the frequency of vaginal exams during labor due to their high risk of infections and avoiding them altogether in cases of rupture of membranes or when the placenta is partially covering the cervix to prevent bleeding.
Despite these recommendations, vaginal exams are frequently used without medical justification, and are often repeated by multiple clinicians for verification or training purposes, increasing the likelihood of incorrect decisions and medical risks.
Economic burden
The cost to taxpayers and the healthcare system for maternal deaths, near-deaths, and severe illnesses stemming from childbirth is staggering, exceeding $30 billion annually.
Unfortunately, the United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality and pregnancy-related illnesses among wealthy countries.
Additionally, c-sections are significantly more costly than vaginal births, with costs being 2 to 3 times higher.
What women say
The solution
The first AI-based device that allows clinicians to base critical labor decisions on accurate and user-independent measurements, providing a safe and gentle process for both mom and baby.
Accurate & Objective
Reduced Complications
Painless & Private
Information Recorded
Rural Areas
With 140 million births and 200K hospitals and clinics worldwide,
the total addressable market is $17 billion.
The team
R&D Leader
Roni Cantor-Balan is a biomedical engineer, and a medical device R&D leader with 15 years of experience, focusing on optics and lasers for medical applications. Roni held a research position at MIT (Boston, MA) and has an MS.c from Tufts University (Boston, MA) and a BS.c from Tel-Aviv University (Israel). She has several patents and scientific publications. Roni is experienced with developing new technologies from the consolidation of innovative concepts through the proof-of-concept phase and into the final implemented application.
She is a mother of three, loves animals, and enjoys yoga, kayaking, and biking near her home in San Diego, CA. She is also a diver and a licensed pilot.
Israeli Ministry of Health
Eliezer Shalev
Chief Medical Advisor, Prof, OBGYN
Technion Medicine Faculty Dean,
Israeli Ministry of Health
Prof. Shalev is the Chairman of the National Council for OBGYN, Neonatology and Genetics at the Israeli Ministry of Health and the President of the Academic and Technologic University of Tel-Hai (Israel). Formerly he served as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) and as Head of the OBGYN Dept at Ha'Emek Medical Center (one of Israel's largest hospitals). Prof. Shalev is also one of the founding fathers of the OBGYN ultrasound practice in Israel and has co-authored multiple medical papers.
VC-backed startups, Brandies University
Yoni Balan has over 15 years of experience as a Business Development and Strategy executive in Fortune 500 companies and leading VC-backed technology startups. Yoni has developed go-to-market strategies and built strategic alliances with world-leading tech vendors. Early on in his career, Yoni acted as a legal advisor, dealing with large global contracts and tenders.
Yoni hold an MBA from Brandeis University (Boston, MA),LL.B. Law and B.A. Economics from the University ofHaifa (Israel). Yoni is a father of three. He enjoys outdoor activities, mainly Kitesurfing, Kayaking and mountain biking near his home in San Diego, CA.
Women’s improved childbirth experience.
Gentle. Safe. Accurate.
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