Patent classifications
A61B5/4362
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND ASSISTING PREGNANT WOMEN
A system for providing health services to a pregnant woman away from a medical facility is provided. The system may be configured to include first and second wearable devices to be worn by the pregnant woman. The first wearable device may be configured to collect a first set of health data of the pregnant woman and the second wearable device may be configured to collect a second set of health data of an unborn baby growing in the pregnant woman. Further, the system may be configured to include a mobile device configured to: communicate with the first and second wearable devices; collect the health data of the pregnant woman and her unborn baby; and communicate with a remote hospital personnel via one or more servers over a cloud-based network. The mobile device may be further configured to receive guidance or instructions from the remote hospital personnel in response to transmission of the health data of the pregnant woman and her unborn baby.
Fetal heart rate extraction from maternal abdominal ECG recordings
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.
Fusion signal processing for maternal uterine activity detection
A computer-implemented method includes providing, by at least one computer processor, a plurality of signal channels, wherein the plurality of signal channels includes a plurality of electrical uterine monitoring signal channels and a plurality of acoustic uterine monitoring signal channels; determining, by the at least one computer processor, a plurality of channel weights, wherein each of the channel weights corresponds to a particular one of the signal channels; and generating, by the at least one computer processor, a combined uterine monitoring signal channel by calculating a weighted average of the signal channels based on the channel weight for each of the signal channels.
APPARATUS AND METHODS OF MONITORING MATERNAL AND FETAL HEART RATE
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.
WEARABLE DEVICES FOR DETECTING PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS
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.
Multi-Sensor Patch
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.
INTEGRATED PRESSURE AND FETAL HEART RATE MONITORING CERVICAL RIPENING CATHETER
Cervical ripening catheters are disclosed, and methods for monitoring and measuring a change in intrauterine parameters without rupturing the amniotic sac. The catheter is provided with a uterine balloon, and a pressure sensor in pressure sensing communication with the uterine balloon. Sensing circuitry is configured to detect pressure applied to the pressure-sensor and communicate information relating to uterine contractions. The catheter may also be provided with sensors for determining fetal heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, fetal blood pH or pelvimetry measurement. A working channel extends throughout the catheter to permit direct access to the amniotic sac by additional diagnostic or therapeutic tools.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FETAL MONITORING
A system obtains a maternal electrocardiogram (ECG) signal that represents an ECG of a pregnant mother during a first time interval. The system further obtains a mixed maternal-fetal ECG signal that represents a combined ECG of the mother and her fetus during the first time interval; processes the maternal ECG signal and the mixed maternal-fetal ECG signal to generate a fetal ECG signal that represents the ECG of the fetus during the time interval, the fetal ECG signal substantially excluding the maternal ECG signal; and provides an output based on the fetal ECG signal.
Forecasting neonatal vitality
A decision support tool is provided for predicting the neonatal vitality scores of a fetus during delivery, the scores being an indicator of future health for the infant anticipated to be born within a future time interval, measured as time to birth. The predicted neonatal vitality score is determined from measurements of physiological variables monitored during labor, such as uterine activity and fetal heart rate. Fetal heart rate variability and patterns may be detected and computed using the monitored physiological variables, and neonatal vitality scores may be predicted based, at least in part, on the variability metrics and fetal heart rate patterns. Scores may be predicted for different delivery methods, such as vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery, for different time-to-birth intervals. In this way, these scores may be used for decision support for care plans during labor, such as increased monitoring and/or modifying the delivery type.
Fetal ultrasound monitoring method and system
A method of fetal ultrasound monitoring includes detecting contact of a first ultrasound transducer to a mother's abdomen based on input from a contact sensor in the first ultrasound transducer. A first transducer ID is received from the first ultrasound transducer, and then the first transducer ID is correlated with a first transducer label. A first heart rate is measured based on output of an ultrasound device in the first ultrasound transducer, and a heart rate indicator is displayed accordingly. A position of the first ultrasound transducer is identified in a two-dimensional plane, and the first transducer label is displayed on an abdomen image based on the first position.