A physiologic method for monitoring premature infants

Instrumentation capable of handling 12 continuous hours of nine-channel real-time physiologic data sampled at 10Hz was needed to test within and between subject variability and preterm infant responses to skin-to-skin contact with the mother. A review of basic electrical components, electrical principles related to physiologic monitoring, and electrophysiology concepts generic to physiologic monitoring is presented. The development, specifications and applications of a new instrument to monitor premature infant cardiorespiratory adaptations are discussed.