title: Clinically accurate fetal ECG parameters acquired from maternal abdominal sensors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to evaluate the accuracy of a novel system for measuring fetal heart rate (FHR) and ST-segment changes using noninvasive electrodes on the maternal abdomen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetal electrocardiograms were recorded using abdominal sensors from 32 term laboring women who had a fetal scalp electrode (FSE) placed for a clinical indication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Good-quality data for FHR estimation were available in 91.2% of the FSE segments and 89.9% of the abdominal electrode segments. The root mean square error between the FHR data calculated by both methods over all processed segments was 0.36 beats per minute. ST deviation from the isoelectric point ranged from 0-14.2% of R-wave amplitude. The root mean square error between the ST change calculated by both methods averaged over all processed segments was 3.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FHR and ST change acquired from the maternal abdomen is highly accurate and, on average, is clinically indistinguishable from FHR and ST change calculated using FSE data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science, the University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.
authors.forename: Gari
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sameni
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wolfberg
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult