Ambulatory non-invasive automatic fetal monitoring system
First Claim
1. An ambulatory, non-invasive, automatic fetal monitoring system for use on a mother to continuously measure and analyze information indicative of the well-being of a fetal living within the mother, comprising:
- a sensor garment for wear by the mother about the mother'"'"'s torso;
a plurality of fetal cardiac sensor means mounted on said sensor garment at spaced locations to continuously detect fetal heartbeats when the fetus is in a variety of positions within the mother and provideelectronic fetal cardiac sensor signals at least one of which is indicative of fetal heartbeats with time;
at least one fetal movement sensor means mounted on said sensor garment to continuously detect physical movement of the fetus within the mother and provide at least one electronic fetal movement sensor signal which is indicative of fetal movement;
a computing means connected to receive and analyze said cardiac and movement sensor signals to determine fetal heart rate and including means to perform at least one analysis relating fetal heart rate and detected movement by the fetus;
heart rate indicator means for indicating fetal heart rate; and
means for indicating results of the analysis relating fetal heart rate and detected movement by the fetus.
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Abstract
Fetal monitors for automatically and continuously monitoring the well-being of a fetus. The preferably ambulatory monitors include one or more fetal cardiac sensors for detecting the fetal heart rate. The sensors can be acoustic, electrocardiographic or bioimpedence types. Interference sensors are included for selectively sensing the principle interference components contained in the fetal cardiac sensor signals. The preferred microprocessor based signal processing system converts the sensor signals into digital format and transforms the signals from time domain into frequency domain and back into time domain after appropriate processing. Adaptive cancellation of interfering signals and other signal enhancing operations are disclosed. Analytical subsystems continuously analyze the fetal heart rate information and information from a fetal movement sensor to perform a fetal non-stress test. Subsystems for other analytical tests are also disclosed. Alarms warn the mother when fetal behavior is outside of preprogrammed acceptable limits of such analytical tests so that remedial action may be initiated. The monitoring system also preferably includes a sensor belt for properly and conveniently wearing the sensors and a control unit containing the signal processing and related components.
306 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An ambulatory, non-invasive, automatic fetal monitoring system for use on a mother to continuously measure and analyze information indicative of the well-being of a fetal living within the mother, comprising:
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a sensor garment for wear by the mother about the mother'"'"'s torso; a plurality of fetal cardiac sensor means mounted on said sensor garment at spaced locations to continuously detect fetal heartbeats when the fetus is in a variety of positions within the mother and provide electronic fetal cardiac sensor signals at least one of which is indicative of fetal heartbeats with time; at least one fetal movement sensor means mounted on said sensor garment to continuously detect physical movement of the fetus within the mother and provide at least one electronic fetal movement sensor signal which is indicative of fetal movement; a computing means connected to receive and analyze said cardiac and movement sensor signals to determine fetal heart rate and including means to perform at least one analysis relating fetal heart rate and detected movement by the fetus; heart rate indicator means for indicating fetal heart rate; and means for indicating results of the analysis relating fetal heart rate and detected movement by the fetus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An ambulatory, non-invasive, automatic fetal monitoring system for portable use on a mother to continuously measure and analyze information indicative of the well-being of a fetus living within the mother, comprising:
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a plurality of fetal cardiac sensor means for detecting fetal heartbeats when the fetus is in a variety of positions within the mother and providing a plurality of electronic fetal cardiac sensor signals which are indicative of fetal heartbeats as perceived from the plurality of fetal cardiac sensor means; at least one fetal movement sensor means for detecting physical movement of the fetus within the mother and providing an electronic fetal movement sensor signal which is indicative of fetal movement; a sensor belt for extending about a torso of the mother and positioning the plurality of fetal cardiac sensors and the at least one fetal movement sensor in close proximity to the mother'"'"'s abdomen when the sensor belt is properly worn; a digital system including at least one microprocessor means and memory means for analyzing said cardiac and movement sensor signals to determine fetal heart rate and including means for analyzing whether fetal heart rate has accelerated immediately after movement by the fetus; and fetal heart rate indicator means for indicating fetal heart rate; and indicator means for indicating whether fetal heart rate has accelerated immediately after fetal movement. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A non-invasive, automatic multiple fetus monitoring system for continuous use on a mother to indicate a likelihood that multiple fetuses are present within the mother, comprising:
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a sensor garment for wear by the mother about the mother'"'"'s abdomen; a plurality of fetal cardiac sensor means mounted on said garment at spaced locations to continuously detect fetal heartbeats when the fetus is in a variety of positions within the mother and provide electronic fetal cardiac sensor signals which are indicative of fetal heartbeats with time; a computing means connected to receive and analyze said fetal cardiac sensor signals;
said computing means including memory means and means for comparing measured fetal cardiac sensor signal strengths from the plurality of fetal cardiac sensors against preprogrammed criteria indicating an increased likelihood of multiple fetuses; andmultiple fetus indicator means for indicating increased probably that multiple fetuses are present. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A non-invasive, automatic breech position detector for continuous use on a mother to indicate a likelihood that a fetus has assumed a breech position in the mother'"'"'s womb, comprising:
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a sensor garment for wear by the mother about the mother'"'"'s abdomen; a plurality of fetal cardiac sensors mounted on said sensor garment at a plurality of spaced positions for detecting fetal heartbeats and providing electronic fetal cardiac sensor signals; computing means electrically connected to receive and analyze said fetal cardiac sensor signals;
said computing means including memory means and means for analyzing said fetal cardiac sensor signals to compare measured fetal cardiac sensor signal strength against preprogrammed criteria indicating an increased likelihood of breech position for at least one combination of relative signal strengths for the plurality of cardiac sensor signals, and for producing a breech position signal; andbreech position indicator means for indicating when the breech position signal has been produced. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An automatic breech position detector according to claim 36 and further comprising a multiple fetus monitoring system according to claim 32 and further comprising adaptive signal cancellation means for adaptively cancelling at least a portion of at least one cardiac sensor signal to increase the strength of signals indicative of fetal heart beats, said adaptive signal cancellation means including at least one sensor means which is mounted to selectively sense interfering signal components sensed by the fetal cardiac sensor means.
Specification