There has never been a time when it has been safer or easier to weather the many storms of pregnancy. From an ever-growing and changing understanding of the physical and emotional needs or expectant mothers to machines that help doctors better monitor a child’s health while still in the womb, technology is helping to create a better, safer world for expectant mothers. Here are 3 technologies that are helping to make pregnancy safer and easier.

Home Tests

Home pregnancy tests have been a basic staple for years, helping women determine pregnancy early on so they can get the prenatal care they need without an expensive and time-consuming trip to the doctor. The lineup of home testing kits available is growing, however, helping women in a number of ways. Ovulation tests can tell a woman when she is ready to conceive and a more recent addition to the home test lineup is a vaginal health test. A number of different types of vaginal infections can not only make conception more difficult, but they can also cause harm to a baby. Many infections may not ever show symptoms, so home health tests can help make sure everything is in order before trying to conceive. Seeing your doctor is still the best option, but these are a good way to keep up with your health between visits.

Portable Scanners

While making a visit to the doctor is simply inconvenient for many pregnant women, for some it is an impossibility. Whether a woman is on bedrest due to a high-risk pregnancy or whether she lives in a rural or impoverished area, portable ultrasound machines and similar devices are helping to make pregnancy safer for all moms-to-be. Portable scanners also allow medical personnel to conduct clinics for the poor or even monitor the health of expectant moms who are homeless. These scanners can also make a huge difference in third-world countries and underserved communities around the world. While office visits may be an inconvenience in the first world, portable ultrasounds may be the only way for some expecting mothers to routinely check on the health of their child.

Ergonomic Support and Gadgets

From pregnancy pillows to orthopedic inserts, there is a growing range of products aimed at making expectant moms more comfortable. A growing range of gadgets to help both mom and baby-to-be are also helping make pregnancy more convenient as well. A pregnancy watch can tell you not only what week of pregnancy you are in but can also offer baby name suggestions. A number of different maternity speakers are also available to sooth your little one with music. Additionally, while not necessarily a gadget, online forums and support groups can provide first-time mothers with valuable insight and information about the process.

With a growing number of monitors, tech, and gadgets, there has probably never been a time when it was safer or more comfortable to be pregnant. Of course, there’s still not a whole lot that tech can do about swollen ankles or pickle cravings, but those may just be problems yet to be solved.