title: Computer analysis of foetal monitoring signals.
abstract: Five systems for computer analysis of foetal monitoring signals are currently available, incorporating the evaluation of cardiotocographic (CTG) or combined CTG with electrocardiographic ST data. All systems have been integrated with central monitoring stations, allowing the simultaneous monitoring of several tracings on the same computer screen in multiple hospital locations. Computer analysis elicits real-time visual and sound alerts for health care professionals when abnormal patterns are detected, with the aim of prompting a re-evaluation and subsequent clinical action, if considered necessary. Comparison between the CTG analyses provided by the computer and clinical experts has been carried out in all systems, and in three of them, the accuracy of computer alerts in predicting newborn outcomes was evaluated. Comparisons between these studies are hampered by the differences in selection criteria and outcomes. Two of these systems have just completed multicentre randomised clinical trials comparing them with conventional CTG monitoring, and their results are awaited shortly. For the time being, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of computer analysis of foetal monitoring signals on perinatal indicators and on health care professionals' behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Porto, S. Joao Hospital, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; INEB - Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: nunes.ing@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Porto, S. Joao Hospital, Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; INEB - Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Diogo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ayres-de-Campos
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015148:Cardiotocography / Q000379:methods*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software
keywords: cardiotocography; computer-assisted; foetal; foetal monitoring; heart rate; signal processing