Expectant mothers could soon have routine checks over the Internet, thanks to state-of-the-art technology and an Oxford-based research programme.

It will be the first time pregnant women have carried out pre and postnatal checks, monitoring their condition from the comfort of their homes, before e-mailing the data to a medical team.

And the system means that expectant mums with complications will no longer need to go to hospital for observation. Twenty women will eventually take part in the 100,000 telemedicine pilot project, a two-year strategy developed by Oxford University's Department of Continuing Education and the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. It was launched last week.

Though they will still visit hospital for routine ultrasound scans, the women will use health-monitoring equipment to record uterine contractions and fetal activity at home. They will also send their heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and analysed urine samples to online doctors, who will then tell them how to improve their health. Dr Paul Johnson, of the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: "I am very excited about the practical application of telemedicine during pregnancy.

"If this study is successful it could be a forerunner for wider implementation in community telehealth support of a range of conditions, including heart disease and diabetes."

Jonathan Darby, of the Department of Continuing Learning, explained that compact healthcheck equipment such as specially adapted watches and belts had been developed through advanced sports technology. He said: "This project replaces the need for hospital if observation is needed, and women can remain in a much less intrusive and less stressful environment."

The Combined Telemedicine and Learning Environment for Young Mothers project has been funded by the BT Higher Education Awards.