Liv is a new training solution for labour and labour
preparations. It is designed for teaching both
midwives and people without medical knowledge
within refugee camps. Liv’s unique design enables
midwifes to demonstrate and communicate in a
clear and powerful way, the consequences of both
right or wrong actions in connection with a labour.

APD Master Thesis
Neonatal Support in Refugee Camps
Project Duration: 20 weeks
Umeå Institute of Design, 2023

PROJECT FOCUS

Midwives in refugee camps have diverse responsibilities, facing rapidly changing environments and demanding circumstances. They carry essential equipment and work with limited staffing, often training inexperienced individuals without medical knowledge. To overcome
language barriers, taboos, and cultural differences, midwives must effectively communicate while training their apprentices.

Far from every birth in a camp results in a dire situation, but when they happen, complications are often a result of neglecting natural and basic human needs, resulting in preventable complications. Throughout this project, I have researched what could be the reasoning behind this unsettling statistic, what options already exist, and in dialogue with midwifes who have worked in refugee camps, tried to envision a solutionsolution that could mitigate certain complications from occurring in the first place.

CHALLENGES

Infants account for almost half of all deaths among children under the age of five, as a direct result of lack of support and knowledge throughout the pregnancy, during labour and the first days of a new-borns life.

Due to the significant lack of staffing within refugee camps, midwives are required to train people living within the camp to support them during delivery and thus require equipment that can convey the complexities of labour and support the users to ensure proper understanding and expertise needed to facilitate complication-free labour.

Lack of visual representation of the situation within the uterus results in difficulties during training

Wrong positioning results in obstructed labour which leads to tearing putting both mother and child at risk

Rapid workstreams and negligence of patients well being can cause multiple complications

The design and its functions are defined through three colours: White represents the focus area. Pink accents important elements like the tearing patches. Grey stands for utility and basic functions. Liv’s footprint is small and can be packed, stored, and transported with ease.

The product does not include any electronics, this to avoid being dependent on an energy source that can be difficult or even impossible to access in a refugee camp setting. The product would be manufactured in plastic, this to achieve both lightness, high volume for low cost and sturdy robustness for usage over time, also to have a minimum material value to avoid potential theft.

 Liv consists of a base where the top part can be angled, a detachable pelvis, a transparent birthing canal, and active training guides representing the end of the spine, the cervix and its dilation and the perineum. Included is also a protective textile shell, which is used for both the fourth level of complexity while training and for transport and storage.

The product can be used to train standard labour situations as well as the repercussions of bad procedures. Velcro patches representing the perineum, will open and clearly indicate when the labour is executed badly and resulted in a tear, providing the trainee with a better understanding of the repercussions of their actions.

Liv offers multple levels of training allowing the trainee to master their skills faster and more importantly, take a step back if needed.

TRAINING 01

The “Mother” is positioned horizontally on a table-bed, or floor. In this situation the user simulates rushing through the process, potentially using Oxytocin injections to speed up the process. Because of the horizontal positioning, the baby has a harder time pushing through and is causing obstructed labour.

Due to the previous actions and behaviours, we are now in a situation where the mother risks suffering great damage and the user can see that clearly by observing the torn perineum. An outcome like this would serve as a valuable learning for a new training session where the “Mother” is angled up.

TRAINING 02

The “Mother” is positioned on an angle, ideally in a positi on they found comfortable, supported by surrounding objects. The midwife in charge takes time to wait for the cervix to dilate naturally and supports the mother during this process. Due to the angle, the birth goes smoothly as the baby is able to slide through the birthing canal without obstructions. Finally, after the placenta discharges, the birthing process is complete and so is this session.

PROCESS