A multi-sensor patch for simultaneous abdominal monitoring of maternal and fetal physiological data includes a multi-layer flexible substrate. The multi-layer flexible substrate includes a center region and a plurality of electrode regions. An electrode of the plurality of electrodes is located in each of the electrode regions. At least one auxiliary sensor which may be an optical sensor. A module unit is connected to the conductive layer at the center region. The module unit is configured to receive biopotential physiological data from the plurality of electrodes and photosignal data from the optical sensor. The module unit calculates at least fetal heart rate (fHR), maternal heart rate (mHR), and uterine activity (UA) from the biopotential physiological data and fHR, mHR, and SpO2 from the photosignal data.

During childbirth process, trauma to an infant can readily arise, ultimately resulting in fetal hypoxia, academia, and brain damage. Such unfavorable conditions can be prevented by measuring the fetus' blood-oxygen level and heart rate. Without a fetal pulse oximeters, blood oxygen level cannot be monitored non-invasively reliably, which reduces the chance for birth complications to be recognized in time. A noninvasive system to implement such goals and maximize the potential welfare of the fetus may include devices to measure oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (SpO2) that have been available for at least 50 years. Such a device may be an oxy probe that uses a trans-reflective method of SpO2 measurement where oxygen saturation data can be transmitted through wire, fiber optics, and or using a radio frequency link, fetal monitor data can be analyzed, compared to existing data base, and or transmitted via radio waves or internet.

During childbirth process, trauma to an infant can readily arise, ultimately resulting in fetal hypoxia, academia, and brain damage. Such unfavorable conditions can be prevented by measuring the fetus' blood-oxygen level and heart rate. Without a fetal pulse oximeters, blood oxygen level cannot be monitored non-invasively reliably, which reduces the chance for birth complications to be recognized in time. A noninvasive system to implement such goals and maximize the potential welfare of the fetus may include devices to measure oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (SpO2) that have been available for at least 50 years. Such a device may be an oxy probe that uses a trans-reflective method of SpO2 measurement where oxygen saturation data can be transmitted through wire, fiber optics, and or using a radio frequency link, fetal monitor data can be analyzed, compared to existing data base, and or transmitted via radio waves or internet.

Systems and methods are described, and one method includes determining a fetal blood oxygenation level, including: activating at least one light source with at least two distinct wavelengths of light on an abdomen of a pregnant mammal to direct light into a maternal abdomen toward a fetus; receiving a set of mixed signals from a set of photodetectors positioned at different locations on the maternal abdomen from reflected light that traverses maternal tissue or maternal tissue and fetal tissue; determining the fetal blood oxygenation level by performing computations on a composite fetal signal produced from the mixed signals; and ensuring a skin temperature of the maternal abdomen does not rise to unsafe levels due to activating the at least one light source.

A multi-sensor patch for simultaneous abdominal monitoring of maternal and fetal physiological data includes a multi-layer flexible substrate. The multi-layer flexible substrate includes a center region and a plurality of electrode regions. An electrode of the plurality of electrodes is located in each of the electrode regions. At least one auxiliary sensor which may be an optical sensor. A module unit is connected to the conductive layer at the center region. The module unit is configured to receive biopotential physiological data from the plurality of electrodes and photosignal data from the optical sensor. The module unit calculates at least fetal heart rate (fHR), maternal heart rate (mHR), and uterine activity (UA) from the biopotential physiological data and fHR, mHR, and SpO2 from the photosignal data.

A multi-sensor patch for simultaneous abdominal monitoring of maternal and fetal physiological data includes a multi-layer flexible substrate. The multi-layer flexible substrate includes a center region and a plurality of electrode regions. An electrode of the plurality of electrodes is located in each of the electrode regions. At least one auxiliary sensor which may be an optical sensor. A module unit is connected to the conductive layer at the center region. The module unit is configured to receive biopotential physiological data from the plurality of electrodes and photosignal data from the optical sensor. The module unit calculates at least fetal heart rate (fHR), maternal heart rate (mHR), and uterine activity (UA) from the biopotential physiological data and fHR, mHR, and SpO2 from the photosignal data.

A method of sensing the heart rate and blood oxygen saturation of a maternal patient and a fetal patient can include obtaining maternal electrocardiogram (mECG) data and fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) data with a plurality of electrodes. The method can also include obtaining photosignal data with an optical sensor, the photosignal data including a maternal photosignal component and a fetal photosignal component. Additionally, the method can include applying mECG to the photosignal data to calculate maternal photoplesthograph (mPPG) data, applying the mPPG to the photosignal data to remove the maternal photosignal component from the photosignal data, and applying the fECG to remaining photosignal data to calculate fetal photoplesthograph (fPPG) data.

A method of sensing the heart rate and blood oxygen saturation of a maternal patient and a fetal patient can include obtaining maternal electrocardiogram (mECG) data and fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) data with a plurality of electrodes. The method can also include obtaining photosignal data with an optical sensor, the photosignal data including a maternal photosignal component and a fetal photosignal component. Additionally, the method can include applying mECG to the photosignal data to calculate maternal photoplesthograph (mPPG) data, applying the mPPG to the photosignal data to remove the maternal photosignal component from the photosignal data, and applying the fECG to remaining photosignal data to calculate fetal photoplesthograph (fPPG) data.

Light reflected from a pregnant woman's abdomen and fetus contained therein that has been received by a detector and converted into a reflected electronic signal may be received by a processor. A portion of the reflected electronic signal that is reflected from the fetus may be isolated and the isolated portion of the reflected electronic signal may be analyzed to determine a fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level of the fetus. The isolation may be achieved by synchronizing the reflected electronic signal with a fetal heartbeat signal and multiplying the synchronized reflected electronic signal by the synchronized fetal heartbeat signal.

Light reflected from a pregnant woman's abdomen and fetus contained therein that has been received by a detector and converted into a reflected electronic signal may be received by a processor. A portion of the reflected electronic signal that is reflected from the fetus may be isolated and the isolated portion of the reflected electronic signal may be analyzed to determine a fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level of the fetus. The isolation may be achieved by synchronizing the reflected electronic signal with a fetal heartbeat signal and multiplying the synchronized reflected electronic signal by the synchronized fetal heartbeat signal.