Imagine trying to have a baby for 9 years. Imagine finally conceiving that baby. Imagine being admitted to the hospital during week 20 and being put on total bedrest in an effort to stop your baby from arriving too soon. Imagine spending 27 days in that hospital bed with nurses coming in every 4 hours to see if there is still a heartbeat. Imagine day 28 resetting the count to the number of days you will spend visiting your baby in the NICU. Now, imagine being offered a simple blood test during your prenatal care that would assess your risk of this kind of experience for you and your baby – and being empowered to work with your health care provider to create a care plan to try and mitigate that risk.
That was my family’s reality.
And it’s also my motivation.
What those months taught me
- Information is power. In high-risk pregnancy, every decision is time -sensitive. Clear, early signals can shape care plans and, sometimes, outcomes.
- Care is a team sport. From nurses who checked for a heartbeat every four hours to the NICU staff who guided us day by day, I learned how much it matters when families and clinicians work from the same playbook.
- Hope needs tools. Hope got us through the long nights. Tools – reliable, accessible, easy-to-use tools – turn hope into action.
The pivot from “why me” to “what now”
After discharge and 148 days of NICU visits, I kept replaying one thought: If there had been a simple way to understand my risk earlier, I could have partnered with my care team even more effectively. When I discovered a company building exactly that – a finger-prick blood test that helps assess a pregnant person’s risk of premature delivery – the mission hit home.
I didn’t join just to work on a product; I joined to serve the next family facing the unknown.
Why a finger-prick risk test matters
- It fits real life. A quick finger prick during routine prenatal care is familiar and accessible.
- It informs conversations. Risk assessment isn’t about predicting the future with certainty – it’s about informing the present. With clearer insight, clinicians and parents
- can talk through monitoring, referrals, and personalized care plans sooner.
- It centers partnership. The goal is not to replace clinical judgment; it’s to support it and give families a seat at the table with timely, objective information.
To me, this is personal. I picture a parent hearing, “Here’s what we’re seeing. Here’s what we can do next – together.” That shift from fear to agency is everything.
What I do here – and what keeps me going
Every day, I bring a NICU parent’s perspective to my work. I advocate for:
- Clarity over jargon so patients and providers can act quickly.
- Equity and access so the test is as reachable as a routine visit.
- Compassion at the center so our science becomes support, not stress.
Our team is united by the same vision: make early, actionable information about preterm birth risk simple to get and simple to use.
If you’re reading this as an expectant parent
You’re not alone. Ask questions. Bring up preterm birth risk with your provider. If a risk assessment test is available to you, ask how it might fit into your prenatal plan. And remember: informed doesn’t mean alarmed – it means prepared.
I started this journey in a hospital bed counting hours and heartbeats. Today, I count something else: the number of families who might face fewer unknowns because they and their care teams have clearer information earlier. That’s why I’m here. That’s why this work matters.
With love from a premie mom,
Debbie
Debbie Lindner
Head of Revenue Cycle
Note: Our finger-prick blood test is intended to help assess risk of premature delivery and to support clinical decision-making. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. Always consult your healthcare provider about your individual care.