Method of monitoring labor

• US 4,967,761 A
• Filed: 07/20/1988
• Issued: 11/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter W. Nathanielsz
• Original Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University)
• Inventors: Nathanielsz, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US07/221,691
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 128/733, 128/775, 128/778, 128/782
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/391 of genito-urinary organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4356 Assessing uterine contractions A61B5/033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7257 using Fourier transforms

Abstract

A method of characterizing pregnant female myometrial activity to distinguish between myometrial activity predictive of term or preterm labor and of contractures, which method comprises: (a) sensing discrete epochs of myometrial contractility and producing signals representing said discrete epochs; (b) storing said epoch representing signals; (c) determining characteristic repetitive frequencies of said signals and thereby determining whether the myometrial activity being characterized is predictive of term or preterm labor.

Claims

1. A method of characterizing pregnant female myometrial activity to distinguish between myometrial activity predictive of term or preterm labor and of contractures, which method comprises:

(a) sensing discrete epochs of myometrial contractility and producing signals representing said discrete epochs;

(b) storing said epoch representing signals;

(c) determining characteristic repetitive frequencies of said signals and thereby determining whether the myometrial activity being characterized is predictive of term or preterm labor.

2. A method as in claim 1 where the sensing senses at least one of intrauterine pressure or electromyographic activity.

3. A method as in claim 1 where the characteristic frequencies are determined using Fast Fourier Transform.

4. A method as in claim 3 where the characteristic sequences are determined using Power Spectrum Analysis in conjunction with Fast Fourier Transform.

5. A method as in claim 1 where the activity predictive of term or preterm labor is demonstrated at between about 0.2 and about 0.8 cycles.min^-1.