An invention to help with obstructed labor has turned some heads — and not just because the idea came from a party trick on YouTube.
The Odon Device, created by Argentine car mechanic Jorge Odon, guides a folded plastic sleeve around the baby's head. A little bit of air is then pumped between the two plastic layers, cushioning the baby's head and allowing it to be sucked out. This trick for removing a cork from an empty wine bottle works the same way.
The device has been embraced by the World Health Organization and is being developed by the global medical technology company BD. Once clinical trials are done, the WHO and individual countries will have to approve it before it's sold. BD hasn't said how much it will charge, but each one is expected to cost less than $50 to make.
A Curious Dilemma
Hominin brains have gotten bigger and female pelvises have narrowed since the advent of walking on two feet. This unfortunate geometric problem, termed the "obstetric dilemma," means that over time it has become harder for babies to fit through where they're supposed to come out. The cause is still under debate.