Monitoring uterine activity
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting uterine activity comprising:
- a plurality of cutaneous electrodes, the cutaneous electrodes configured for attachment to a maternal abdominal wall;
a first input configured to receive electrical signals from the cutaneous electrodes;
a movement sensor configured to provide movement signals indicative of a physical acceleration of a maternal body or abdomen;
a second input configured to receive the movement signals from the movement sensor;
an output;
a signal processor coupled to the first and second inputs and the output, the signal processor configured to separate a uterine electromyogram signal from fetal and maternal heart rate signals in the electrical signals received at the first input and to filter maternal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal using the movement signals received at the second input by attenuating the uterine electromyogram signal as a function of a magnitude of the movement signals, the signal processor being further configured to filter fetal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal by removal of peak excursions in the uterine electromyogram signal based on an average value of the uterine electromyogram signal; and
the output configured to present electrohysterogram (EHG) data from the filtered uterine electromyogram signal.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting uterine activity uses cutaneous electrodes on the maternal abdomen to obtain electrophysiological signals that can be used to obtain fetal and maternal heart rate. The apparatus includes a first input for receiving electrical signals from the cutaneous electrodes and a second input for receiving movement signals indicative of a movement of the maternal body from a movement detector. A signal processor separates a uterine electromyogram signal from fetal and maternal heart rate signals and filters out motion artifacts from the electromyogram using the movement signals. An output presents electrohysterogram (EHG) data from the uterine electromyogram signal.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting uterine activity comprising:
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a plurality of cutaneous electrodes, the cutaneous electrodes configured for attachment to a maternal abdominal wall; a first input configured to receive electrical signals from the cutaneous electrodes; a movement sensor configured to provide movement signals indicative of a physical acceleration of a maternal body or abdomen; a second input configured to receive the movement signals from the movement sensor; an output; a signal processor coupled to the first and second inputs and the output, the signal processor configured to separate a uterine electromyogram signal from fetal and maternal heart rate signals in the electrical signals received at the first input and to filter maternal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal using the movement signals received at the second input by attenuating the uterine electromyogram signal as a function of a magnitude of the movement signals, the signal processor being further configured to filter fetal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal by removal of peak excursions in the uterine electromyogram signal based on an average value of the uterine electromyogram signal; and
the output configured to present electrohysterogram (EHG) data from the filtered uterine electromyogram signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of detecting uterine activity comprising the steps of:
- generating electrical signals using cutaneous electrodes disposed on a maternal abdomen;
obtaining movement signals using a movement sensor to provide movement signals indicative of a physical acceleration of a maternal body or abdomen;separating, using a signal processor, a uterine electromyogram signal from fetal and maternal heart rate signals in said generated electrical signals and filtering, using the signal processor, maternal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal using the movement signals by attenuating the uterine electromyogram signal as a function of a magnitude of the movement signals; filtering, using the signal processor, fetal motion artefacts from the uterine electromyogram signal by removal of peak excursions in the uterine electromyogram signal based on an average value of the uterine electromyogram signal; and providing, using the signal processor, electrohysterogram (EHG) data from the filtered uterine electromyogram signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- generating electrical signals using cutaneous electrodes disposed on a maternal abdomen;
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17. Apparatus for collecting fetal heart rate data and uterine activity data, comprising:
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a plurality of cutaneous electrodes arranged to be located on an abdomen of a pregnant mother in use; signal inputs configured to receive electrical signals-from said electrodes in use, the electrical signals comprising electrophysiological signals indicative of fetal heart rate and uterine activity; a signal processor configured to process said received electrical signals to generate separate data signals of the fetal heart rate and uterine activity; the signal processor arranged to extract at least one fetal heart rate parameter and at least one uterine activity parameter from said data signals; and an output coupled to the signal processor, the apparatus configured to provide to said output a graphical or tabular form of said at least one fetal heart rate parameter and said at least one uterine activity parameter for timed frames; wherein the signal processor is further configured to obtain a measure of root mean square of successive differences in time series of beat-to-beat time intervals and the apparatus is configured to provide to said output the measure in a graphical or tabular form. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification