CerviCheck is working to change that with a device that translates the cervix's physical properties into a reliable predictor of preterm birth. "[Preterm birth is] fundamentally a biomechanical failure," Butcher said. "Reading about 10% preterm birth is a lot different from talking with [the mothers]," she said, "and hearing about how both the mothers and the children have continued to live with the consequences." Nathan Briard ’28, who joined the mechanical team in his freshman spring, arrived through a different path. "We honed in on preterm birth after doing customer discovery, because the market was clear and the need was urgent."

Source: Daily Sun March 23, 2026 01:06 UTC