Fetal cardiac monitoring utilizing umbilical blood flow parameters and heartbeat information
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring to assess at least one fetal health parameter associated with a fetus being carried within an expectant mother, comprising the steps:
- placing at least one fetal heart sensor at an appropriate position relative to the mother for sensing fetal heartbeat information emanating from a fetal heart beating within the fetus;
sensing fetal heartbeat information using the at least one fetal heart sensor;
determining at least one fetal heartbeat measure from the fetal heartbeat information;
positioning at least one umbilical flow detector at an appropriate position relative to the mother to detect umbilical blood flow information, said umbilical blood flow information indicating flow of blood within an umbilical cord which extends between the fetus and a placenta carried within the mother, said positioning occurring so as to allow detection of the umbilical blood flow information at an umbilical target location which is distal from a fetal umbilicus whereat the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus;
detecting umbilical blood flow information from the umbilical target location using the at least one umbilical flow detector;
deriving at least one umbilical flow measure from the umbilical blood flow information detected in said detecting step;
analyzing said at least one fetal heartbeat measure and said at least one umbilical flow measure to produce said at least one fetal health parameter.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for monitoring to assess the health of a fetus being carried within a mother. The methods include sensing fetal heart information using a fetal heart sensor; determining at least one fetal heart rate measure from the fetal heart rate information; detecting umbilical flow information relating to the flow of blood within the umbilical; deriving at least one umbilical flow indicator from at least the umbilical flow information; and analyzing the fetal heartbeat measure and umbilical flow measure to produce at least one fetal health parameter. The systems include the heartbeat sensor, umbilical flow detector, and a processor which allows analysis of the information obtained from the sensor and detector to provide an indication of fetal health.
67 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring to assess at least one fetal health parameter associated with a fetus being carried within an expectant mother, comprising the steps:
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placing at least one fetal heart sensor at an appropriate position relative to the mother for sensing fetal heartbeat information emanating from a fetal heart beating within the fetus; sensing fetal heartbeat information using the at least one fetal heart sensor; determining at least one fetal heartbeat measure from the fetal heartbeat information; positioning at least one umbilical flow detector at an appropriate position relative to the mother to detect umbilical blood flow information, said umbilical blood flow information indicating flow of blood within an umbilical cord which extends between the fetus and a placenta carried within the mother, said positioning occurring so as to allow detection of the umbilical blood flow information at an umbilical target location which is distal from a fetal umbilicus whereat the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus; detecting umbilical blood flow information from the umbilical target location using the at least one umbilical flow detector; deriving at least one umbilical flow measure from the umbilical blood flow information detected in said detecting step; analyzing said at least one fetal heartbeat measure and said at least one umbilical flow measure to produce said at least one fetal health parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for monitoring to assess at least one fetal health parameter associated with a fetus being carried within an expectant mother, comprising the steps:
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determining at least one fetal heartbeat measure from fetal heartbeat information sensed from a fetal heart beating within the fetus; positioning at least one umbilical flow detector at an appropriate position relative to the mother to detect umbilical blood flow information, said umbilical blood flow information indicating flow of blood within an umbilical cord which extends between the fetus and a placenta carried within the mother, said positioning occurring so as to allow detection of the umbilical blood flow information at an umbilical target location which is distal from a fetal umbilicus whereat the umbilical cord attaches to the fetus; detecting umbilical blood flow information from the umbilical target location using the at least one umbilical flow detector; deriving at least one umbilical flow measure from the umbilical blood flow information detected in said detecting step; analyzing said at least one fetal heartbeat measure and said at least one umbilical flow measure to produce said at least one fetal health parameter.
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29. A fetal monitoring system for monitoring a fetus carried within a mother, the system comprising:
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at least one fetal heart sensor for sensing fetal heartbeat information; at least one umbilical flow detector for detecting umbilical blood flow information which indicates flow of blood within an umbilical cord which extends between the fetus and a placenta carried by the mother; at least one processor connected to receive said fetal heartbeat information from the at least one fetal heartbeat sensor, and connected to receive umbilical flow information from the at least one umbilical flow detector, said at least one processor deriving therefrom at least one fetal health parameter. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification