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[Fetal movements in 4-channel tocography]
A Hasenburg1, C Soldan, C Behrens
1Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Marienhospital Herne.
Introduction:
The four-channel-tocography was developed to register the spatial and temporal pattern of uterine contractions and to evaluate their clinical relevance. In this study it should be assessed whether the four-channel-tocography can also register fetal movements.
Material And Methods:
The study included 38 women with a gestational age between 28 and 43 weeks and singleton pregnancy. Four pressure transducers were attached in a square around the umbilicus. Parallel to the continuous registration of four-channel-tocography fetal movements were observed by conventional ultrasound.
Results:
In a total of 23 hours and 11 minutes 403 fetal movements were registered by ultrasound and 405 by four-channel-tocography. 17% of the ultrasonically observed fetal movements were documented by the four-channel-tocography and 70% of the tocographically registered movements could be verified by ultrasound.
Conclusion:
Fetal movements can be registered by four-channel-tocography with good sensitivity and reliability. Essential for its clinical use is an automatic analysis, which is being developed.