Application of a real-time microcomputer monitoring system: surveillance of induced labour by uterine activity quantitation.
The uterine activity of women during induced labour was analysed with a real-time Commodore PET 2001 series microcomputer. The active contraction area was measured in torr-min (1 torr = 0.133 kPa) per 10 min epochs [uterine activity unit (UAU)/10 min]. Surgical induction was followed immediately by administration of a geometric oxytocin infusion and all patients received epidural analgesia. Twenty-eight primigravidae for whom inductographic and partographic progress were normal had a mean 'stable phase' uterine activity of 118 +/- 2 SD 43 UAU/10 min (identical to 942 +/- 2 SD 343 kPas/10 min) whereas 15 multiparae had a mean 'stable phase' of 83 +/- 2 SD 34 UAU/10 min (identical to 662 +/- 2 SD 271 kPas/10 min). This difference was significant (P less than 0.01). The construction of uterine activity charts is described and their clinical application discussed.
D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced; D008838:Microcomputers; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction