In the heart of Central America’s Northern Triangle, Honduras faces a complex web of challenges. Widespread poverty, recurring hurricanes and deep social inequalities shape the daily lives of its more than 10 million inhabitants. These structural pressures are straining the country’s health care system, especially in maternal health care, where mortality rates remain high. In response, BabyChecker is transforming maternal health care in Honduras by expanding access to essential prenatal diagnostics in underserved areas.

The State of Maternal Health Care in Honduras

Although Honduras has reduced maternal mortality over the past two decades, significant disparities persist, especially in rural and underserved regions. The country lowered its maternal mortality ratio from 199 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 47 in 2023. However, unequal access to care still puts many women at risk.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and intensified these vulnerabilities. Health system disruptions limited access to prenatal and reproductive services. This caused maternal mortality rates to surge from 61 to 125 deaths per 100,000 live births in the aftermath. This situation reflects a broader global pattern. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 800 women die every day from preventable pregnancy-related causes, with 90% of these deaths occurring in low-resource settings. In Honduras, limited access to essential diagnostic tools continues to hinder progress. 

Health care providers struggle to use traditional ultrasound machines in remote areas because these devices are expensive, require stable electricity and specialized training. As a result, many women complete their pregnancies without adequate monitoring, which increases the risk of complications.

Why Are Ultrasounds Crucial To Preventing Prenatal Death?

Ultrasound plays a critical role in reducing prenatal and neonatal mortality by enabling the early detection of life-threatening complications. Globally, neonatal deaths account for nearly half of all deaths among children under 5, with preterm birth complications, infections and intrapartum-related conditions among the leading causes. Many of these risks originate during pregnancy and can be identified early through proper monitoring.

Health care providers use ultrasound to detect a wide range of complications that can endanger both mother and child. For example, ultrasound can identify ectopic pregnancies (when a pregnancy develops outside the uterus), allowing doctors to intervene before rupture and internal bleeding occur. It also helps assess fetal heart activity and development, enabling the early detection of miscarriage risks. 

In addition, clinicians rely on ultrasound to screen for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome and detect structural defects like congenital heart conditions or spina bifida. They also use it to monitor fetal growth and prevent complications linked to growth restriction. Ultrasounds also allow providers to diagnose placental issues, such as placenta previa or placental abruption, which can pose severe risks during delivery. 

By identifying these conditions early, health care workers can plan safer deliveries and refer patients to appropriate care on time. Evidence highlights the impact of this technology: one study found that the introduction of ultrasound reduced fetal mortality by nearly 20% overall and by more than 50% in post-term pregnancies. These findings underscore the importance of ultrasound access in improving pregnancy outcomes, particularly in settings where other forms of monitoring remain limited.

Babychecker: A Digital Solution to the Rescue

To address these gaps, the Honduran Ministry of Health partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Delft Imaging to launch the BabyChecker pilot project. BabyChecker uses a smartphone-based, AI-powered ultrasound system to expand access to prenatal care. The device allows health care workers with minimal training to perform scans and assess pregnancy risks.

By guiding users through six simple sweeps across the abdomen, the tool provides key clinical information, including gestational age, fetal position, heart rate and early signs of complications. This approach transforms how providers deliver care. Instead of requiring patients to travel to distant hospitals, BabyChecker enables frontline health care workers to conduct diagnostics directly within their communities.

By decentralizing access to diagnostics, BabyChecker is transforming maternal health care in Honduras. 

Transforming Care in Underserved Communities

In October 2024, health care teams deployed BabyChecker devices across hospitals and rural clinics in regions including Intibucá, Choluteca and La Paz. These areas include Indigenous communities such as the Lenca, Garífuna and Miskito. During the pilot phase, around 400 pregnant women received care through the program.

Local health assistants and community volunteers quickly learned how to use the device, even in settings without reliable internet or electricity. They used BabyChecker to estimate gestational age, detect multiple pregnancies and identify warning signs, allowing them to refer high-risk cases to advanced care in time.

The initiative also improved trust in health care services. In many Indigenous communities, women prefer to consult trusted local figures rather than unfamiliar medical professionals. By equipping community members with this technology, the program increased acceptance of prenatal care. It strengthened engagement, further demonstrating BabyChecker’s transformation of maternal health care in Honduras.

A Step Toward Reducing Maternal Mortality

BabyChecker is transforming maternal health care in Honduras by enabling earlier detection of complications and accelerating referrals to appropriate care. The technology allows health care workers to act quickly and reduce preventable risks for both mothers and infants. More broadly, the initiative shows how targeted, low-cost innovation can help close persistent gaps in health care access, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

As Honduras continues to face structural challenges such as poverty, inequality and environmental vulnerability, solutions like BabyChecker are increasingly vital. By combining accessible technology with community-based care and international partnerships, health care systems can better protect vulnerable populations and improve pregnancy outcomes.

This model is already expanding beyond Honduras. BabyChecker is currently in use in countries such as Sierra Leone and Ghana, where it similarly supports frontline health care workers and improves access to prenatal diagnostics. Its growing adoption highlights its potential as a scalable global solution to reduce maternal mortality and strengthen health care systems in low-resource settings.

– Inès Maudire

Inès is based in Paris, France and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash