Laerdal Medical introduced its new obstetric simulator, MamaAnne, at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) conference in San Diego, CA.

According to Laerdal, the United States is facing a maternal health crisis that has been worsening over time.1 The maternal mortality rate for 2021 was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 23.8 in 2020 and 20.1 in 2019.2 Four in five pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.3 

Laerdal developed the MamaAnne in order to make an impact on this number with a simulation training solution that addresses the top causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, the company says.

MamaAnne has been designed to cover the mother’s labor and delivery journey, from maternal initial assessment to postnatal care. In addition to encouraging respectful care and “keeping normal birth normal,” multi-professional birthing teams can run drills on the simulator for obstetric emergencies, including the top causes of maternal mortality: postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, sepsis, obstructed labor, and the fundamental necessity of effective communication in the delivery room.

Developed in partnership with Limbs & Things, MamaAnne combines expertise in healthcare simulation from both organizations. Uniquely focused on effortless setup, clinical realism, and modular components, MamaAnne supports building competencies while promoting values of inclusivity. MamaAnne is a complete simulation solution integrated with ready-made scenarios, educational programs, and technical services. When combined with Laerdal’s comprehensive obstetrics and midwifery portfolios, maternal health training will be elevated for the improvement of patient outcomes. 

“We understand the urgency of tackling the maternal health crisis – and that effective training can help reduce the number of preventable pregnancy-related deaths,” said Suzanne Shea, Vice President, Training Products, at Laerdal Medical. “MamaAnne empowers educators to provide the experiential learning opportunities that are critical to ensuring that current and future healthcare providers are prepared to deliver safe and effective care for every mother.”

“MamaAnne marks a new standard in how we approach patient simulation and will contribute to our goal of helping save One Million Lives every year by 2030,” the company said in a press release.

Laerdal’s MamaAnne obstetric simulator is expected to begin shipping later in 2024.