Uterine electromyography and light-induced fluorescence in the management of term and preterm labor

Understanding the physiology of the uterus and cervix during term and preterm parturition is crucial for developing methods to control their function and is essential to solving clinical problems related to labor. To date, only crude, inaccurate, and subjective methods are used to assess changes in uterine and cervical function in pregnancy.

In the past several years, we have developed noninvasive methods to quantitatively evaluate the uterus and cervix based on recording of uterine electrical signals from the abdominal surface (uterine electromyography) and measurement of light-induced fluorescence (LIF) of cervical collagen (Collascope), respectively. Both methods are rapid and allow immediate assessment of uterine contractility and cervical ripening.

Studies in animals and humans indicated that uterine and cervical performance can be monitored successfully during pregnancy using those approaches and that these techniques can be used during labor to better define management in a variety of conditions associated with labor.

The potential benefits of the proposed instrumentation and methods include reducing the rate of preterm delivery, improving maternal and perinatal outcome, monitoring treatment, decreasing cesarean rate and providing research methods to understand uterine and cervical function.