For the high cost and mobility issues, a home uterine contraction pressure monitoring system based on Windows CE platform was developed. In this paper, the design of hardware circuit, micro-controller system and LabVIEW program based on Windows CE are discussed. The clinical validation experiment in hospital for this system was made and the experimental results show that this system complies with the trend that current medical equipment is becoming portable, homely and networked. Through real-time monitoring uterine contraction pressure, occurrence of premature birth and abortion can be prevented effectively.
Female ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; instrumentation ; Pregnancy ; Uterine Contraction

The data of uterine contraction pressure is the information source for extracting uterine contractions status. Because there is a variety of interference existing in contraction pressure data, commonly used methods such as uterine contraction intensity integration method can not obtain decent evaluation results. We used the bior 2.4 biorthogonal wavelet to decompose and reconstruct the pressure data in order to obtain the best denoising effect. Combining with the denoised results, we proposed an algorithm of the wavelet energy value. Based on the algorithm, we calculated the curve of wavelet energy value. It was proved that using the curve of wavelet energy value can better identify contractions waveform and evaluation contractions intensity.
Algorithms ; Artifacts ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Uterine Contraction ; physiology ; Uterine Monitoring ; Wavelet Analysis

Backgrounds: It is estimated that 0.75-2% of parturients undergo surgical procedures unrelated to delivery. However, there are few reports on pregnant surgical patients in Korea. This study was undertaken to review the clinical information on patients who have received surgery during pregnancy. METHODS: Of the 11,772 deliveries during the 7-year period 1996-2002, 101 pregnant patients underwent nonobstetric surgery. The medical records and anesthesia records were reviwed for the following data: patient's age, trimester at operation performed, type of surgery and anesthesia, fetal monitoring, preterm labor, and for the delivery of pregnant women undergoing nonobstetrical surgery, except incompetent cervix. RESULTS: As many as 0.86% of pregnant women were found to have undergone surgery, the incidence of nonobstetric surgery, except incompetent cervix, was 0.43%. The 84.3% of patients underwent appendectomies. General anesthesia was administered to 68.6%, and regional anesthesia was administered to 31.4%. The ultrasonographies for fetal monitoring were performed in 96.1% of patients. Of the patients who received abdominal surgery during the second and third trimester, the incidence of preterm labor was 25.0%. There was no premature delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of nonobstetric surgery for reasons unrelated to pregnancy was 0.43%. Appendectomy was the most common surgical procedure. I recommend the use of uterine monitoring after abdominal surgery.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Conduction ; Anesthesia, General ; Appendectomy ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies* ; Uterine Cervical Incompetence ; Uterine Monitoring

OBJECTIVEAlthough the only objective finding of intrapartum fetal distress is obtained through the measurement the fetal scalp pH, this invasive procedure is not available in every institution. The careful examination of fetal heart rate tracings for abnormalities, especially of the most commonly seen one, variable decelerations gains great importance under these circumstances. The aim of the present study is to determine the prognostic significance of variable decelerations in intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring.

METHODSA total of 96 fetal heart rate tracings were analysed to assess the prognostic significance of variable decelerations. Sixty-six percent (64/96) of cases exhibited atypia characterised with (1) slow return of the fetal heart rate to the baseline; (2) loss of variability during the decelerations; (3) loss of initial and/or secondary accelerations; (4) persistence of secondary acceleration (overshoot); and (5) continuation of the baseline fetal heart rate at a lower level; (6) biphasic deceleration. One and five-minute Apgar scores and umbilical artery pH were used to assess the final fetal condition.

RESULTSAdverse fetal outcome characterised by fetal acidosis and Apgar score lower than 7 at one and five minutes were uncommon with pure variable decelerations. Typical and atypical variable decelerations were associated with low Apgar scores (< 7) at one minute in 9.3% and 54.6% of cases (p < 0.001) and at five minutes in 6.25% and 25% of cases (p < 0.05), respectively. In addition umbilical artery pH found to be lower than 7.2 in these cases ( 18.75% - p < 0.05). There was no danger for the fetal haemodynamic conditions when typical uterus contraction/variable deceleration ratios were two or more than two. However, risk of fetal hypoxia damage was quite high when this ratio was lower than two in atypical variable 5th minute low Apgar scores and pH (81.8% and 36.6% respectively). Atypical features are helpful in the identification of distress characterised by low Apgar scores in fetuses with variable decelerations. Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit was more common in patients with atypical variable decelerations in comparison with typical variable decelerations (34.3% versus 3.1%).

CONCLUSIONWhile typical variable decelerations are frequently harmless, atypical variations pose a significant risk of fetal hypoxia.

Acidosis ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; physiology ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prognosis ; Uterine Contraction

Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between environmental pollution and various health conditions in individuals residing in industrial complexes. To evaluate the effects of pollution from industrial complex on human health, we performed a pooled analysis of environmental epidemiologic monitoring data for residents living near national industrial complexes in Korea. The respiratory and allergic symptoms and the prevalence of acute and chronic diseases, including cancer, were used as the outcome variables for health effects. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between exposure to pollution from industrial complexes and health conditions. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, occupational exposure, level of education, and body mass index, the residents near the industrial complexes were found to have more respiratory symptoms, such as cough (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.31) and sputum production (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.24), and symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20). Among residents of the industrial complexes, the prevalence of acute eye disorders was approximately 40% higher (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.84) and the prevalence of lung and uterine cancer was 3.45 times and 1.88 times higher, respectively, than those among residents of the control area. This study showed that residents living in the vicinity of industrial complexes have a high risk of acute and chronic diseases including respiratory and allergic conditions. These results can be used as basic objective data for developing health management measures for individuals residing near industrial complexes.
Body Mass Index ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Education ; Employment ; Environmental Pollution ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Uterine Neoplasms

Several epidemiological studies have reported an association between environmental pollution and various health conditions in individuals residing in industrial complexes. To evaluate the effects of pollution from industrial complex on human health, we performed a pooled analysis of environmental epidemiologic monitoring data for residents living near national industrial complexes in Korea. The respiratory and allergic symptoms and the prevalence of acute and chronic diseases, including cancer, were used as the outcome variables for health effects. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between exposure to pollution from industrial complexes and health conditions. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, occupational exposure, level of education, and body mass index, the residents near the industrial complexes were found to have more respiratory symptoms, such as cough (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.31) and sputum production (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.24), and symptoms of atopic dermatitis (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20). Among residents of the industrial complexes, the prevalence of acute eye disorders was approximately 40% higher (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.84) and the prevalence of lung and uterine cancer was 3.45 times and 1.88 times higher, respectively, than those among residents of the control area. This study showed that residents living in the vicinity of industrial complexes have a high risk of acute and chronic diseases including respiratory and allergic conditions. These results can be used as basic objective data for developing health management measures for individuals residing near industrial complexes.
Body Mass Index ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Education ; Employment ; Environmental Pollution* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum ; Uterine Neoplasms

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect on uterine contraction frequency (UCF), blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns and psychophysical symptoms (physical discomfort, anxiety, and depression) of structured bed exercise (SBE) in hospitalized high-risk pregnant women prescribed bed rest. METHODS: Forty-five hospitalized high risk pregnant women at >24 weeks of pregnancy prescribed bed rest were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. From January to May 2014, data were collected using electronic fetal monitoring and patient monitoring of UCF, BP, HR and FHR patterns, and psychophysical symptoms were measured using the antenatal physical discomfort scale, state-trait anxiety scale, and Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. RESULTS: UCF, BP, HR, and FHR patterns (rate, variability, acceleration, and deceleration) did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups. The experimental group showed a significant increase in baseline FHR after SBE within the normal range, and after SBE, it reduced to the FHR before SBE. The variability, acceleration and deceleration of FHR before and after SBE did not differ significantly between two groups. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference before and after SBE in the experimental group. Also, the experimental group showed statistically significant decreases in physical discomfort score. However, there were no significant differences in depression and anxiety score between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: SBE in hospitalized high-risk pregnant women under bed rest did not increase the risk to the fetus, and relieved physical discomfort and anxiety. Therefore, SBE should be considered as a nursing intervention in hospitalized high-risk pregnant women.
Acceleration ; Anxiety ; Bed Rest ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiotocography ; Deceleration ; Depression ; Depression, Postpartum ; Female ; Fetal Heart* ; Fetus ; Heart Rate ; Heart Rate, Fetal* ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Nursing ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Pregnant Women* ; Reference Values ; Uterine Contraction*