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Characterization of abdominally acquired uterine electrical signals in humans, using a non-linear analytic method

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Abstract

The present work seeks to determine if a particular non-linear analytic method is effective at quantifying uterine electromyography (EMG) data for estimating the onset of labor. Twenty-seven patients were included, and their uterine EMG was recorded non-invasively for 30 min. The patients were grouped into two sets: G1: labor, N=14; G2: antepartum, N=13. G1 patients all delivered spontaneously within 24 h of recording while G2 patients did not. The uterine electrical signals were analyzed offline by first isolating the uterine-specific frequency range and then randomly selecting “bursts” of uterine electrical activity (each associated with a uterine contraction) from every recording. Wavelet transform was subsequently applied to each of the bursts’ traces, and then the fractal dimension (FD) of the resulting transformed EMG burst-trace was calculated (Benoit 1.3, Trusoft). Average burst FD was found for each patient. FD means for G1 and G2 were calculated and compared using t test. FD was significantly higher (P<0.05) for G1: 1.27±0.03 versus G2: 1.25±0.02. The wavelet-decomposition-generated fractal dimension can be used to successfully discern between patients who will deliver spontaneously within 24 h and those who will not, and can be useful for the objective classification of antepartum versus labor patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Route 1062, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA

    William L. Maner, Lynette B. MacKay, George R. Saade & Robert E. Garfield

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  1. William L. Maner
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  2. Lynette B. MacKay
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  3. George R. Saade
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  4. Robert E. Garfield
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Correspondence to William L. Maner.

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Maner, W.L., MacKay, L.B., Saade, G.R. et al. Characterization of abdominally acquired uterine electrical signals in humans, using a non-linear analytic method. Med Bio Eng Comput 44, 117–123 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-005-0011-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-005-0011-3

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