Real-time signal processing of an intrauterine catheter's fetal electrocardiogram

摘要

An original real-time maternal electrocardiogram (ECG) cancellation technique for the intrauterine catheter's (IC) ECG will be discussed in mathematical detail. The cancellation method is based on maternal ECG averaging and subtraction using modified maternal ECG complexes during averaging. Via the resulting fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) from maternal ECG cancellation of an intrauterine catheter's ECG, physician can determine fetal status since the resulting FECG contains fetal heart rate (HR) and electrophysiological information. In addition, fetal status could be determined with one non-invasive to the fetus catheter as compared to invasive to the fetus scalp electrode and intrauterine pressure catheter used currently. An analysis of clinical data indicates that a FECG with a favorable signal-to-noise ratio could be acquired in real-time from the IC after maternal ECG cancellation using the proposed method. The resulting IC's ECG could then be used for determining fetal HR and electrophysiological information. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. [References: 25]