Global Health Medical Device Compendium/CRADLE

Women in resource-limited settings are seven times more likely to develop pre-eclampsia than women in developed countries. Regular blood pressure (BP) monitoring is a cost-effective means of identifying such hypertensive diseases in their early stages. However, medical facilities in resource-limited settings lack the ability to take accurate BP measurements.

CRADLE is a cheap, automated blood pressure monitor that is a feasible and sustainable solution to accurately measure blood pressure in rural antenatal clinics. The device generates reliable results and requires minimal training, and also features a prolonged battery life. In addition, the device has been proven to yield high levels of user satisfaction and good durability.

• Designed by: Andrew Shennan, professor of Obstetrics at Kings College London

Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe

Grand Challenges Fund awarded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Maternity Worldwide Tommy's

Baker, E. C., Hezelgrave, N., Magesa, S. M., Edmonds, S., de Greeff, A., & Shennan, A. (2012). Introduction of automated blood pressure devices intended for a low resource setting in rural tanzania. Tropical Doctor,42(2), 101-103. doi:10.1258/td.2011.110352; 10.1258/td.2011.110352

Community blood pressure monitoring for pregnancy hypertension in rural Africa: the CRADLE (formerly COBRA) project. (2012, December). Retrieved from here

Community blood pressure monitoring in rural Africa: Detection of underlying pre-eclampsia (CRADLE). (n.d.). Retrieved from here

Community BP monitoring to detect pre-eclampsia in Africa. (2010, November). Retrieved from here