ECG Machines
12-lead ECG for maternal cardiac monitoring in high-risk and peripartum care.
Cardiovascular complications are now the leading cause of maternal mortality in many countries. You cannot manage what you cannot see.
Portable and bedside 12-lead ECG systems optimised for maternal cardiac monitoring — covering pre-eclampsia, peripartum cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia detection, QT prolongation surveillance and postoperative cardiac assessment after Caesarean section under spinal or general anaesthesia. Edan SE-12 Express and Nihon Kohden ECG-1350 deliver high-resolution 12-lead ECG acquisition with automated interpretation algorithms, full-waveform colour display, onboard record storage and USB/network export for referral communication. Battery operation sustains monitoring through power interruptions and enables bedside use across the labour ward, theatre recovery and postnatal ward without mains proximity. Jos•Hansen supplies ECG machines, electrodes and accessories with local technical support across East Africa.
Complete 12-lead acquisition
12-lead ECG provides the full cardiac electrical picture — allowing detection of ST-segment changes indicating myocardial ischaemia, QT prolongation from magnesium sulphate toxicity or antihypertensive drugs, arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and ventricular ectopy, and the chamber enlargement patterns associated with peripartum cardiomyopathy. A 3-lead or 6-lead system cannot reliably detect all of these.
Automated interpretation
Built-in algorithms compare acquired waveforms against validated diagnostic criteria and provide automated interpretation statements — flagging ST changes, conduction abnormalities and rate parameters for clinical review. In settings where cardiology input is not immediately available, automated interpretation reduces interpretation delay and supports non-cardiologist clinicians in identifying patterns that require urgent escalation.
Portable bedside-to-theatre flexibility
Compact portable design with handle and rechargeable battery enables ECG acquisition at the delivery suite bedside, in theatre recovery, at the postnatal ward and during obstetric emergency — without requiring the patient to be moved to a dedicated ECG room. The unit weighs under 2 kg and stores hundreds of ECG records for review, report printing and referral export.
Maternal cardiac mortality — the clinical case for routine ECG access.
Cardiovascular disease now accounts for 26% of indirect maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, driven by rheumatic heart disease, peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), hypertensive disorders and increasingly by non-communicable cardiovascular disease in older mothers. PPCM — a dilated cardiomyopathy unique to the peripartum period — affects approximately 1 in 1,000 births in East Africa (ten times the rate reported in high-income countries) and presents with heart failure symptoms that are easily attributed to normal pregnancy physiology. A 12-lead ECG showing left bundle branch block, ST changes or ventricular ectopy in a breathless postpartum woman changes the diagnostic pathway from general ward admission to cardiac ICU management. Hospitals without accessible ECG machines cannot make this distinction.
Monitoring magnesium sulphate toxicity — a life-critical application.
Magnesium sulphate is the first-line treatment for eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia — given to thousands of women annually in East African hospitals. Magnesium toxicity causes dose-dependent cardiac toxicity: PR interval prolongation, widened QRS complex, complete heart block and asystole at toxic serum levels. Serial 12-lead ECG is a practical tool for monitoring conduction changes during magnesium infusion when formal serum magnesium levels are unavailable. Automated ECG interpretation identifies PR prolongation and QRS widening earlier than clinical examination, enabling infusion rate adjustment before clinical toxicity becomes cardiac arrest. Every maternity unit administering magnesium sulphate should have a 12-lead ECG machine.
Spinal and general anaesthesia cardiac monitoring — postoperative safety.
Caesarean section rates in East Africa have increased significantly as surgical capacity expands. Spinal anaesthesia-related hypotension, bradycardia and the rare but fatal high spinal block require immediate ECG interpretation. General anaesthesia cases require post-operative arrhythmia surveillance during recovery. A portable 12-lead ECG machine that moves from theatre to recovery to ward enables continuous monitoring without the patient being transported back to a fixed ECG station. Nihon Kohden and Edan systems operate from battery power for 4+ hours and acquire a diagnostic-quality 12-lead in under 30 seconds — the responsiveness required for anaesthetic emergencies.
Technical specifications.
Lead configuration
12-lead standard (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1–V6)
Sampling rate
1000 samples/second per lead
Display
Colour LCD · full 12-lead simultaneous display
Automated analysis
Built-in interpretation algorithm · arrhythmia detection
Record storage
500+ ECG records onboard · USB and network export
Battery
Rechargeable lithium · 4+ hours continuous operation
Of indirect maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa attributable to cardiovascular disease — the clinical burden that 12-lead ECG access directly supports early detection of
Higher peripartum cardiomyopathy incidence in East Africa versus high-income countries — making maternal cardiac monitoring a clinical priority rather than a specialist service
12-lead ECG acquisition time (Edan SE-12 Express) — the speed required for intrapartum and perioperative cardiac emergencies in labour ward and theatre settings
Why ECG.
Full 12-lead cardiac picture
Complete 12-lead acquisition detects ST changes, QT prolongation, bundle branch blocks and arrhythmias that 3- or 6-lead systems cannot reliably identify in maternal cardiac emergencies.
Automated interpretation
On-device algorithm flags ST changes, conduction abnormalities and rate abnormalities — supporting non-cardiologist clinicians in identifying patterns requiring urgent escalation without waiting for specialist review.
Portable bedside flexibility
Under 2 kg with 4-hour battery — ECG acquisition at the delivery suite, theatre recovery, postnatal ward and obstetric emergency without mains proximity or patient transport.
Electrode supply and support
Jos•Hansen maintains in-country stock of compatible electrodes, ECG paper and accessories — with PPM, calibration and local technical support across East Africa.
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