[Fetal movements in 4-channel tocography].
BACKGROUND
The four-channel-tocography was developed to register the spatial and temporal pattern of uterine contractions and to evaluate their clinical relevance. In this study it should be assessed whether the four-channel-tocography can also register fetal movements.


METHODS
The study included 38 women with a gestational age between 28 and 43 weeks and singleton pregnancy. Four pressure transducers were attached in a square around the umbilicus. Parallel to the continuous registration of four-channel-tocography fetal movements were observed by conventional ultrasound.


RESULTS
In a total of 23 hours and 11 minutes 403 fetal movements were registered by ultrasound and 405 by four-channel-tocography. 17% of the ultrasonically observed fetal movements were documented by the four-channel-tocography and 70% of the tocographically registered movements could be verified by ultrasound.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal movements can be registered by four-channel-tocography with good sensitivity and reliability. Essential for its clinical use is an automatic analysis, which is being developed.
Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Marienhospital Herne.
A
A
Hasenburg
C
C
Soldan
C
C
Behrens
F
F
Fallenstein
L
L
Spätling
K
K
Quakernack
D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018590:Uterine Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation*