Apparatus and method for the diagnosis of true labor
First Claim
1. A method for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising the steps of:
- detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor;
determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction;
determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; and
indicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value.
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Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal. In accordance with a method of this invention the following steps are executed: (a) detected electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; (b) determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; (c) determining a discriminant (δ) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; and (d) indicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value. The onset of true labor can also be indicated when a value of a critical determinant exceeds a threshold value, the value of the critical determinant being obtained from a combination of the slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants and a magnitude of a last determined discriminant.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising the steps of:
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detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andindicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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5. A method for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising the steps of:
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detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andindicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the step of determining a discriminant determines the discriminant in accordance with the expression;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">δ
=ρ
H.sub.α
+σ
H.sub.β
+τ
H.sub.γ
+φ
H.sub.ε
,where H.sub.α
, H.sub.β
, H.sub.γ
, and H.sub.ε
represent the spectral energy in a plurality of different frequency ranges, and where ρ
, σ
, τ and
φ
are constants selected so that δ
has a negative value for false labor contractions, and a positive value for true labor contractions. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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12. A system for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising:
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means for detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; means for determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; means for determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andmeans for indicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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16. A system for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising:
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means for detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor;
p1 means for determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction;means for determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andmeans for indicating a beginning of true labor when a slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants exceeds a first threshold value and when a magnitude of a last determined discriminant exceeds a second threshold value, wherein said means for determining a discriminant determines the discriminant in accordance with the expression;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">δ
=ρ
H.sub.α
+σ
H.sub.β
+τ
H.sub.γ
+φ
H.sub.ε
,where H.sub.α
, H.sub.β
, H.sub.γ
, and H.sub.ε
represent the spectral energy in a plurality of different frequency ranges, and where ρ
, σ
, τ and
φ
are constants selected so that δ
has a negative value for false labor contractions, and a positive value for true labor contractions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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29. A method for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising the steps of:
-
detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andindicating a beginning of true labor when a value of a critical determinant exceeds a threshold value, the value of the critical determinant being obtained from a combination of the slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants and a magnitude of a last determined discriminant.
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30. A method for detecting an onset of true labor in a pregnant mammal, comprising the steps of:
-
detecting electrical signals from a succession of muscular contractions associated with labor; determining a spectral content of the electrical signals for each contraction; determining a discriminant (δ
) from the determined spectral content for each contraction so as to provide a set of discriminants, individual ones of the set of discriminants being associated with an individual one of the contractions; andindicating a beginning of true labor when a value of a critical determinant exceeds a threshold value, the value of the critical determinant being obtained from a combination of the slope of at least two discriminants of the set of discriminants and a magnitude of a last determined discriminant, wherein the step of determining a discriminant determines the discriminant in accordance with the expression;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">δ
=ρ
H.sub.α
+σ
H.sub.β
+τ
H.sub.γ
+φ
H.sub.ε
,where H.sub.α
, H.sub.β
, H.sub.γ
, and H.sub.ε
represent the spectral energy in a plurality of different frequency ranges, and where ρ
, σ
, τ and
φ
are constants selected so that δ
has a negative value for false labor contractions, and a positive value for true labor contractions.
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Specification