Introduction; Fetal monitoring of instantaneous heart rate (IHR) is one of major advances in recent perinatal medicine. It is widely accepted that changing pattern of fetal IHR associated with uterine contraction will reflect fetal well or ill being. Uterine contraction produces temporary hypoxia to the fetus and apnea does the same to the neorlate. Therefore we analysed changing patterns of ne...

Dysmenorrhea is directly related to elevated PGF(2alpha) levels. It is treated with nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Western medicine. Since NSAIDs produce many side effects, Chinese medicinal therapy is considered as a feasible alternative medicine. Adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf.) has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treating dysmenorrhea. However,...

Interactions of hormones stimulating and inhibiting uterine contraction were studied in vitro in uteri from oophorectomized rats. The beta-adrenergic effector, isoproterenol, a potent inhibitor of contraction, produced a dose-related increase of adenylate cyclase and accumulation of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) that was inhibitable by propranolol. Oxytocin, which stimulates contr...

Aiming at the enhancement of monitoring system for pregnant patients, an appropriate device is needed to monitor the maternal health during labour. A new method for non-invasive monitoring of respiration and uterine contraction activity of pregnant woman is described in this paper. A prolonged inspiration or shortness of breath occurs during initiation of labour associated with elevated uterine...

Uterine contractions occur in runs of 1-3/hr throughout pregnancy from early in the second trimester until full term usually without consequence. Regular uterine contractions are essential in every case of preterm labor (PTL) resulting in preterm delivery at <37 weeks. It has been demonstrated that women are unable to accurately perceive the contractions associated with preterm labor while uter...

The mare exhibits nocturnal uterine contractions in the last 6 days of gestation. It is hypothesized that estradiol 17beta (O17beta) may be associated with the nightly increase in uterine contractions. The 24-h secretion pattern of plasma O17beta was measured in 3 pony mares in late gestation to identify changes in release as the mare neared parturition. Blood was collected weekly at 08:00 hour...

A previous study of six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners showed that PCBs with four or fewer chlorines and ortho substitution stimulate uterine contraction frequency in vitro, whereas congeners with a greater number of chlorines or non-ortho substitution are inactive in vitro. We tested the hypothesis that PCB mixtures stimulate uterine contractions in a manner inversely related to the ...

Previously, we reported that 2,2'-dichlorobiphenyl (2,2'-DCB)-induced decreases of amplitude and synchronization of uterine contractions are dependent on MAPK-induced phosphorylation of Connexin43 (Cx43) and inhibition of myometrial gap junctions. Recent studies show that oxidative stress inhibits uterine contractions and myometrial gap junctions also. The present study examines the hypothesis ...