Quantification of fetal heart rate variability by abdominal electro - 7 ( 1979 ) 27 cardiography

As fetal electronic monitoring has become a routine practice in modern obstetric units, rapid and accurate Interpretation of the cardiotocograph tracings has become important. Decreased fetal heart rate (FHR) variability is the most constant finding observed in severe fetal distress in the ante partum period. An experienced obstetrician, if acquainted with electronic monitoring, can recognize the silent pattern predicting imminent fetal death. Whether there is a gradual diminution of FHR variability in correlation with hypoxia from normal to silent pattern is not known. Quantification of less severe changes in the variability by visual inspection of the cardiotocograph tracings is problematic, even when electrocardiography is used for processing [S]. Computer methods for quantification of FHR variability from direct fetal electrocardiography (FECG) [l, 2] and fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG) [4] have been presented. These methods are based on statistical analysis of the sequential interVals measured from fetal electric or magnetic QRS complexes. Since fetal magnetocardiography is not yet generally applicable clinically, there has been no accurate method available for ante partum use. This paper presents a Computer System for the statistical analysis of fetal QRS intervals measured from abdominal FECG. Curriculum vitae