A vaginal speculum includes a spreading element and at least two electromyographic sensors. At least one of the electromyographic sensors is mounted in or on the spreading element. The electromyographic sensors generate signals indicative of electromyographic activity in a vagina, cervix, or uterus.

A method for automated image capture of a body tissue in situ, comprising: providing an imaging device configured to transmit an image stream of a body tissue; and using at least one hardware processor for: receiving the image stream, identifying a medical accessory appearing in the image stream, and capturing multiple images of the body tissue, wherein (i) at least one of the images is captured before said identifying, and (ii) at least one of the images is captured at one or more specified times upon said identifying.

A pessary for the prevention of preterm birth, and in particular two pathological conditions of pregnancy known as isthmico-cervical incontinence and cervical shortening, both of which are associated with increased risks for pregnancy loss and/or premature deliveries of babies. The pessary includes a sleeve supported within a ring by an annular member. The sleeve is intended to contact the cervix and maximize the length of the cervix while the annular member and ring contact the vagina. The pessary may be fabricated from a pliable medical-grade silicon, and the pessary may include one or more sensors to measure various patient parameters indicative of a premature cervical contraction. The sleeve may be wirelessly powered from a charging device, such as a pillow, a table-top device, or a pelvic belt.

A pessary for the prevention of preterm birth, and in particular two pathological conditions of pregnancy known as isthmico-cervical incontinence and cervical shortening, both of which are associated with increased risks for pregnancy loss and/or premature deliveries of babies. The pessary includes a sleeve supported within a ring by an annular member. The sleeve is intended to contact the cervix and maximize the length of the cervix while the annular member and ring contact the vagina. The pessary may be fabricated from a pliable medical-grade silicon, and the pessary may include one or more sensors to measure various patient parameters indicative of a premature cervical contraction.

Devices, systems and related methods for direct and in-vivo monitoring and stimulation of the endometrial cavity include a plurality of sensing modalities incorporated on a set of flexible conductive filaments that allows its insertion in an endometrial cavity through the vagina. The flexible set of conductive filaments is in direct contact with the endometrium to maximize recording sensitivity and acquire direct readings, which correspond to the functionality of the endometrium and/or electrically stimulate endometrial peristalsis in a controlled manner. The same electrodes can be used for a controlled stimulation to strengthen weakened muscle tissue before and after medical and surgical interventions on the uterus, to reset to normal contractility. The methods and systems disclosed herein can be used to improve the chances of success for artificial insemination, including in-vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, and intrauterine insemination, diagnostic tests, and may further improve the overall understanding of endometrial functionality.

A method of using an apparatus to protect the tissues, muscles and nerves of the female pelvic floor from trauma during vaginal childbirth, the apparatus having a softly expansible intravaginal component and a support component with a handle attached to the intravaginal component, the method including deploying the intravaginal device into a vaginal canal and under a fetal head in the vaginal canal during vaginal childbirth, attaching the handle device to the central body, and delivering fluid through the handle device into the intravaginal device and inflating the intravaginal device with the fluid to deploy the wings on the intravaginal device from the stored configuration into the deployed configuration to provide support and stabilization to at least one from among a perineal, perianal, and anal region and preventing or mitigating the subsequent development of abnormal fistulous communications between the vagina and either the urinary bladder or the rectum or both.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for measuring collagen organization in the cervix, assessing the health of a woman's cervix (including a pregnant woman's cervix), characterizing the composition and structure of cervical tissue, and measuring preterm labor risk are provided. Polarization sensitive techniques and properties of cervical tissue, including birefringence, can be used. A method can include acquiring in vivo images of cervical tissue, applying Mueller matrix (MM) polarimetry (including 44 Mueller matrix polarimetry), and determining one or more parameters of the cervical tissue using the Mueller matrix (MM) polarimetry. The in vivo images can be analyzed and various parameters that characterize the cervical tissue can be determined. Graphs and maps of the cervical tissue can be generated for use as care provider tools.

An apparatus to protect the tissues, muscles and nerves of the female pelvic floor from trauma during vaginal childbirth, the apparatus having a softly expansible intravaginal component capable of insertion into a vaginal canal and under a fetal head while in either a folded or rolled up configuration and to unfold or unroll into a deployed configuration in the vaginal canal and under the fetal head, and a support component with a handle capable of attachment to the intravaginal component, of deploying and inflating the intravaginal, preferably with pressurized air or liquid, and further sized and shaped to provide support and stabilization to at least one from among a perineal, perianal, and anal region when maintained against a female perineal body and perianal region while attached to the intravaginal device that is deployed beneath the fetal head within the vaginal canal, or, in cases of obstructed vaginal childbirth, being subsequently detached, temporarily leaving in situ within the vagina the deployed, inflated intravaginal component for the purpose of preventing or mitigating the subsequent development of abnormal fistulous communications between the vagina and either the urinary bladder or the rectum or both.

A pessary for the prevention of preterm birth, and in particular two pathological conditions of pregnancy known as isthmico-cervical incontinence and cervical shortening, both of which are associated with increased risks for pregnancy loss and/or premature deliveries of babies. The pessary includes a sleeve supported within a ring by an annular member. The sleeve is intended to contact the cervix and maximize the length of the cervix while the annular member and ring contact the vagina. The pessary may be fabricated from a pliable medical-grade silicon, and the pessary may include one or more sensors to measure various patient parameters indicative of a premature cervical contraction.

A device for retarding birth including an upper ring for surrounding a cervix, an anchoring component for anchoring the device, and an elastic component for attaching the upper ring to the anchoring component, wherein the elastic component pushes the upper ring and the anchoring component apart. A device for retarding birth including a sleeve for surrounding a cervix along a greater portion of a length of the cervix, a support strip on the sleeve directed along an axis of the sleeve, and a ring at least partially around the sleeve, in which when a top of the sleeve is pushed to expand radially, the support strip pivots on the ring, such that an end of the support strip near the top of the sleeve moves radially outward, and an end of the support strip near the bottom of the sleeve moves radially inward. Related apparatus and methods are also described.