A processing unit and method for processing fetal Doppler ultrasound data to extract a set of signals representative of different distinct heart rate signal sources, i.e. maternal heart rate and fetal heart rate. Doppler data is received (32) from a plurality of different transducer sources, corresponding to different (but potentially overlapping) tissue regions within the maternal abdomen. From the multiple sources of Doppler ultrasound data is compiled (34) a single set of input signal channels, each corresponding to a different tissue region within the maternal abdomen. These are then processed successively by a PCA algorithm (36) followed by an ICA algorithm (38), which work to unmix the multiple heart rate sources present in each of the input channels, and derive a set of output signals from the ICA which can be taken as representative of separate heart rate sources.

An electrode interface system for providing a connection between at least one electrode and a maternal-fetal monitor, wherein the interface system converts electrical muscle activity captured by the electrode(s) into uterine activity data signals for use by the maternal-fetal monitor. The electrode interface system of the invention preferably includes a conversion means for converting the signals from the electrode(s) into signals similar to those produced by a tocodynometer.

The disclosure describes techniques for predicting maternal and/or fetal health outcomes based on maternal and/or fetal patient data. The patient data may include, for example, data regarding sensed biopotential signals such as maternal and/or fetal electrocardiography (ECG) signals, maternal and/or fetal electromyography (EMG) signals, and/or other biopotential signals. The patient data may further include maternal and/or fetal biometric data and/or health assessment data. The system determines, based on processing the patient data using a machine learning model trained with historical patient data for a plurality of patients, one or more predicted outcomes associated with the patient.

The present invention relates to a pregnancy monitoring system, the system comprising a fetal monitoring transducer (20) arranged to detect fetal medical condition information; and a control device (48) comprising a motion assessment unit (50) and a signal output unit (52); wherein the fetal monitoring transducer (20) is arranged to detect fetal movement indicative information, wherein the motion assessment unit (50) is arranged to process fetal movement grading information, in addition to the fetal movement indicative information, wherein the signal output unit (52) is arranged to simultaneously output a fetal condition signal, particularly a fetal heart rate signal, and an augmented fetal movement signal based on the fetal movement indicative information and the fetal movement grading information, wherein a characteristic property of the original fetal movement information is still present in the augmented fetal movement signal. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding pregnancy monitoring method.

Apparatus and methods for monitoring pregnancy or labour are disclosed. In one embodiment the apparatus includes an electromyography (EMG) sensor having two or more EMG electrodes to monitor fetal or maternal activity during pregnancy or labour and one or more position sensors to monitor the relative positioning of the two or more EMG electrodes during the fetal or maternal activity. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a monitoring device to be placed on a body and having a plurality of sensors integrated into the monitoring device, the plurality of sensors including at least: a first sensor configured to detect a first type of signal from the body indicative of a first type of fetal or maternal activity during pregnancy or labour; and a second sensor configured to detect a second type of signal from the body, different from the first type of signal, also indicative of the first type of fetal or maternal activity during pregnancy or labour.

System (10) for extracting a fetal heart rate from at least one maternal signal using a computer processor (26). The system includes sensors (12-18) attached to a patient to receive abdominal ECG signals and a recorder and digitizer (20) to record and digitize each at least one maternal signal in a maternal signal buffer (22A-22D). The system further includes a peak detector (40) to identify candidate peaks in the maternal signal buffer. The signal stacker (42) of the system stacks the divides at least one maternal signal buffer into a plurality of snippets, each snippet including one candidate peak and a spatial filter (44) to identify and attenuate a maternal QRS signal in the plurality of snippets of the maternal signal buffer, the spatial filter including at least one of principal component analysis and orthogonal projection, to produce a raw fetal ECG signal which is stored in a raw fetal ECG buffer. The system further includes a fetal QRS identifier (46) for identifying peaks in the raw fetal ECG buffer by at least one of principal component analysis and a peak-detector followed by rule based fQRS extraction and a merger (48) to calculate and merge the fetal heart rate from the identified peaks.

A patch sensor adapted to process echo information to generate a first type of medical data and/or a second, different type of medical data using a respective processing pathway. A communications module of the patch sensor is adapted to be switchable between a first mode, in which only the first type of medical data is transmitted to a medical device, and a second mode, in which at least the second type of medical data is transmitted to the 5 medical device. The first type of medical data occupies a smaller bandwidth (during transmittal) than the second type of medical data.

A maternal and fetal monitoring system includes a detection probe configured to conduct physiological measurements on a maternal abdomen, the detection probe comprising a probe housing configured to be attached to the maternal abdomen, and a plurality of electrodes integrated into the probe housing and configured to acquire biopotential physiological data from the maternal abdomen. At least one controller is configured to calculate fetal heart rate (fHR) values, maternal heart rate (mHR) values, and/or uterine activity (UA) values based on both the physiological measurements and the biopotential physiological data, and a graphical display communicatively connected to the controller to receives and visually presents the calculated fHR values, mHR values, and/or UA values.

A wearable device for detecting physiological parameters of a patient is provided. The device includes a flexible body for covering at least a portion a wearer's hand, the flexible body having an interior side and an exterior side. The device may also include a first sensor positioned on the body for measuring the pH of the patient on an exterior side of the flexible body. The device may further include a second sensor positioned on the body for measuring the bicarbonate level of the patient on an exterior side of the flexible body.

A multi-sensor patch for simultaneous abdominal monitoring of maternal and fetal physiological data includes a multi-layer flexible substrate with a center region and a plurality of electrode regions. A conductive layer of the flexile substrate provides an electrical connection between each of the plurality of electrode regions and the center region. A plurality of electrodes are formed into the flexible substrate. At least one mechanical motion sensor is connected to the multi-layer flexible substrate. A module unit is connected to the conductive layer at the center region. The module unit includes a controller configured to receive biopotential physiological data from the plurality of electrodes and mechanical sensor data from the at least one auxiliary sensor. The controller calculates at least fetal heart rate, maternal heart rate, and uterine activity from the biopotential physiological data and from the mechanical sensor data.