Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Electromyometrial Imaging of Uterine Contractions in Pregnant Women
Published on: May 26, 2023
Noninvasive uterine electromyography for prediction of preterm delivery
Miha Lucovnik1, William L Maner, Linda R Chambliss
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 445 N. 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
Objective:
Power spectrum (PS) of uterine electromyography (EMG) can identify true labor. EMG propagation velocity (PV) to diagnose labor has not been reported. The objective was to compare uterine EMG against current methods to predict preterm delivery.
Study Design:
EMG was recorded in 116 patients (preterm labor, n = 20; preterm nonlabor, n = 68; term labor, n = 22; term nonlabor, n = 6). A Student t test was used to compare EMG values for labor vs nonlabor (P < .05, significant). Predictive values of EMG, Bishop score, contractions on tocogram, and transvaginal cervical length were calculated using receiver-operator characteristics analysis.
Results:
PV was higher in preterm and term labor compared with nonlabor (P < .001). Combined PV and PS peak frequency predicted preterm delivery within 7 days with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. Bishop score, contractions, and cervical length had an AUC of 0.72, 0.67, and 0.54.
Conclusion:
Uterine EMG PV and PS peak frequency more accurately identify true preterm labor than clinical methods.
