The present invention relates to fetal monitoring and, more particularly, to an electronic external fetal monitoring system that includes a self adhering single use dermal patch including embedded sensors that can be attached to the skin of an expectant maternal patient and is configured to record fetal heart rate, uterine activity, and uterine integrity.

A patient monitoring system includes: a biomedical sensor including: a transducer configured to produce a signal corresponding to a biological function; a sensor converter configured to convert the signal to a converted signal; and a transmitter configured to produce a communication, based on the converted signal, that is indicative of one or more values of the biological function, and to send the communication wirelessly; and a base station including: a receiver configured to receive the communication wirelessly and to produce a receiver output signal; a base station interface configured to produce a base station output signal indicative of the one or more values of the biological function; and at least one output port to receive the base station output signal and configured to be hard-wire connected to a display that is configured to display information indicative of the biological function.

An apparatus (10) is for use in monitoring uterine contractions. Means are provided for separately detecting (18) solid (e.g. flush) contact of at least a portion of a sensor unit (14) of the apparatus on the abdomen, and for a detecting (20) an initial starting pressure, or a baseline pressure, between the sensor unit and the abdomen. A controller (24) is arranged to first sense contact of said at least portion of the sensor unit on the abdomen, and then responsive to the contact detection, detect the starting pressure using an integrated pressure sensor. The same pressure sensor is preferably used for monitoring the uterine contractions. The starting pressure provides a direct or indirect measure or indication of the tension of a belt which is arranged in use to hold the apparatus against the abdomen of the subject. By sensing the starting pressure, for example directly responsive to abdomen contact being sensed, this initial pressure value, or derivative therefore, can be used as a direct or indirect indication of the belt tension.

Independent component analysis may be performed on a plurality of detected electronic signals to separate signals within the detected electronic signals that are contributed by different sources. Each of the plurality of detected electronic signals may be received from a separate detector and may correspond to a detected optical signal emanating from a pregnant mammal's abdomen and a fetus contained therein. The detected optical signals may correspond to light that is projected into the pregnant mammal's abdomen from a light source. The separated signals may be analyzed to determine a separated signal that corresponds to light incident upon the fetus, which may be analyzed to determine a fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level of the fetus. An indication of the fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level may then be provided to the user.

A system and apparatus for implementing a user interface for displaying uterine contraction information is provided. The graphical user interface displays first information conveying a rate of uterine contractions, the first information being derived at least in part on the basis of at least a portion of a contraction signal. The graphical user interface also displays, concurrently with the first information, second information conveying a threshold rate of uterine contractions. In specific examples of implementation, the graphical user interface is adapted for selectively causing an alarm event based at least in part on a rate of uterine contractions conveyed by the first information and the threshold rate of uterine contractions.

There is provided a device (100) for placement on the abdomen (102) of a subject to measure uterine contractions of the subject and a fetal heart rate. The device (100) comprises a rigid base (104) for placement on the abdomen (102) of the subject and a cover (106) configured to connect to the rigid base (104). The cover (106) comprises a flexible portion moveable in response to uterine contractions of the subject. The device (100) further comprises a fetal heart rate sensor (108) mounted on the rigid base (104) and configured to measure the fetal heart rate. The device (100) also comprises a uterine contractions sensor (110) located within the device (100) and configured to measure the uterine contractions of the subject.

An apparatus for monitoring an obstetrics patient during labour is provided. The apparatus receives a contraction signal conveying information related to occurrences of uterine contractions over time and processes his signal to derive a sequence of rates of uterine contractions over time. The apparatus also implements a Graphical User Interface (GUI) presenting a tracing of at least part of the sequence of rates of uterine contractions over time along with a threshold rate of uterine contractions GUI is dynamically adapted over time based on the contraction signal received. The sequence of rates of uterine contractions derived over time is also processed to detect occurrences of anomalous contraction rates and to identify one or more portions of the tracing corresponding to sustained anomalous contraction rate segments during which anomalous contraction rates have persisted for time durations exceeding a pre-determined time duration. The GUI is configured to trigger an alarm event in response to identification of a specific sustained anomalous contraction rate segment.

Apparatus for monitoring a clinical condition of a subject is described. At least one motion sensor detects motion of the subject and generates a sensed motion signal responsive to the sensed motion. A signal analyzer is adapted to determine a heartbeat-related signal from the sensed motion signal, to determine a first breathing-rate-related signal from the heartbeat-related signal, and to determine a second breathing-rate-related signal directly from the sensed motion signal. The signal analyzer determines the validity of the heartbeat-related signal by comparing the first breathing-rate-related signal with the second breathing-rate-related signal. Other applications are also described.

Systems and methods for monitoring the onset or occurrence of labor contractions and detecting or estimating labor in a pregnant female are provided.

Some embodiments are directed to a method for quantitative visualization of uterine strain. The method includes receiving a number of 2D or 3D image frames acquired via an imaging technique and selecting a number of confidential points, determining the orientation of the uterus using the confidential points, selecting a region of interest, generating a grid of tracking points inside the region of interest and tracking and estimating the displacement of tracking points between frames. From a varying distance between each couple or set of tracking points, a strain is calculated. The orientation of the grid of tracking points and of the calculated strain is dependent on the determined orientation of the uterus.