Abstract
Today’s maternal/fetal monitoring lacks the capability to diagnose labor and predict delivery. The objective of this work was to demonstrate that uterine electromyography (EMG) is proven to be a viable alternative to current monitoring techniques. Uterine EMG was monitored noninvasively and trans-abdominally from pregnant patients using surface electrodes. Several aspects of the uterine EMG were investigated: contraction plotting, diagnosing labor, and predicting delivery. Contractions were seen to correspond well with tocodynamometer- (TOCO-) plotted contractions. As well, increases in electrical activity were indicative of labor and imminent delivery. Uterine EMG could be a valuable tool for obstetricians if implemented on a routine basis in the clinic.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
E.R. Norwitz, J. Robinson and J.R.G. Challis (1999) The control of labor. N Engl J Med 341:660–666.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: Guide to clinical preventive services: An assessment of the effectiveness of 169 interventions, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore (1989)
S.J. Ventura, J.A. Martin, S.C. Curtin and T.H. Matthews (1997) Report of final natality statistics. Monthly Vital Stat Rep 45:12.
E.R. Brown and M. Epstein (1984) Immediate consequences of preterm birth. In: F. Fuchs and P.G. Stubblefield, Editors, Preterm birth: Causes, prevention, and management, Macmillan Publishing, New York ,pp. 323–354.
Marshall JM (1962) Regulation of the activity in uterine muscle. Physiol Rev 42:213–27
Kuriyama H, Csapo A (1967) A study of the parturient uterus with the microelectrode technique. Endocrinology 80:748
Devedeux D, Marque C, Mansour S, Germain G, Duchene J (1993) Uterine electromyography: A critical review. Am J Obstet Gynecol 169:1636–53.
Wolfs GMJA, Van Leeuwen (1979) Electromyographic observations on the human uterus during labor. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand Suppl 90:1–61.
Figueroa JP, Honnebier MB, Jenkins S, Nathanielsz PW (1990) Alteration of 24-hour rhythms in the myometrial activity in the chronically catheterized pregnant rhesus monkey after 6hours shift in the light-dark cycle. Am J Obstet Gynecol 163: 648–54
Garfield RE, Buhimschi C (1998) Control and assessment of the uterus and cervix during pregnancy and labour. Hum Reprod Update 4(5):673–95. Sep-Oct
Buhimschi C, Garfield RE (1998) Uterine activity during pregnancy and labor assessed by imultaneous recordings from the myometrium and abdominal surface in the rat. Am. J. Obstet Gynecol 178:811–22.
Garfield RE, et al (1998) Instrumentation for the diagnosis of term and preterm labour. J. Perinat Med 26:413–436.
Newman RB (2005) Uterine contraction assessment. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 32(3):341–67. Sep
Maul H, Maner WL, Olson G, Saade GR, Garfield RE. Noninvasive transabdominal uterine electromyography correlates with the strength of intrauterine pressure and is predictive of labor and delivery.
Garrison LA, Lamson TC, Deutsch S, Geselowitz DB, Gaumond RP, Tarbell JM. An in-vitro investigation of prosthetic heart valve cavitation in blood. J Heart Valve
Dis. 1994 Apr;3 Suppl 1:S8–22; discussion S22–4.
Makfarlane P.W. A comparison of different processing techniques for measuring late potentials. Theproceedings of the international symposium on high-resolution ECG. Yokohama. Japan. July 3 - 1994 - p.136.
Time domain-analysis of the signal averaged electrocardiogram: reproducibility of results. European Heart J.,1992.,V.13., Abstract suppl., p.646.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Garfield, R., Maner, W. (2007). Uterine Electromyography in Humans – Contractions, Labor, and Delivery. In: Jarm, T., Kramar, P., Zupanic, A. (eds) 11th Mediterranean Conference on Medical and Biomedical Engineering and Computing 2007. IFMBE Proceedings, vol 16. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73044-6_32
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-73044-6_32
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-73043-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-73044-6
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)