Fetal heart rate plays an essential role in maternal and fetal monitoring and fetal health detection. In this study, a method based on Poincare Plot and LSTM is proposed to realize the high performance classification of abnormal fetal heart rate. Firstly, the original fetal heart rate signal of CTU-UHB database is preprocessed via interpolation, then the sequential fetal heart rate signal is converted into Poincare Plot to obtain nonlinear characteristics of the signals, and then SquenzeNet is used to extract the features of Poincare Plot. Finally, the features extracted by SqueezeNet are classified by LSTM. And the accuracy, the true positive rate and the false positive rate are 98.00%, 100.00%, 92.30% respectively on 2 000 test set data. Compared with the traditional fetal heart rate classification method, all respects are improved. The method proposed in this study has good performance in CTU-UHB fetal monitoring database and has certain practical value in the clinical diagnosis of auxiliary fetal heart rate detection.
Databases, Factual ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; Fetus ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Pregnancy

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is characterized by fetal compromise and delayed neurological maturation. We report 3 cases of early FGR in the 26th week of gestation, based on hemodynamic Doppler monitoring, conventional cardiotocography, and non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-FECG). Fetal heart rate variability (HRV), beat-to-beat variations, and fetal autonomic brain age scores (fABASs) were normal despite the absence of umbilical diastolic flow in the first case and the pregnancy continued to 30 weeks. NI-FECG helped achieve better fetal maturity. Fetal HRV and fABASs were low in the second and third cases. Fetal demise occurred soon in both cases. We conclude that NI-FECG could be a prospective method for the detection of fetal distress in early FGR.
Brain ; Cardiotocography ; Electrocardiography ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Hemodynamics ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies

The existing fetal monitor is prone to false detection in the case of high maternal interference in the second stage of labor. With this background, the article designs and implements a combined maternal-fetal fetal heart monitoring system. The system obtains the Doppler signal of the abdominal fetal heart and the blood oxygen signal of the mother's finger, and estimates the maternal interference degree in the fetal heart rate Doppler signal according to the maximum correlation value between the maternal finger blood oxygen signal and the abdominal fetal heart Doppler signal, and switches the fetal heart rate extraction algorithm between the autocorrelation method suitable for lower interference and improved template method suitable for higher interference according to the maternal interference degree. The accuracy of our method is 9.2% which is higher than that of the improved template matching method and 6.1% higher than that of the autocorrelation method.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; instrumentation ; Fetus ; Heart Rate ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

The ultrasound Doppler fetal heart rate measurement is the gold standard of fetal heart rate counting. However, the existing fetal heart rate extraction algorithms are not designed specifically to suppress the high maternal interference during the second stage of labor, and false detection occurrences are common during labor. With this background, a method combining time-frequency frame template library optimal selecting and non-linear template matching is proposed. The method contributes a template library, and the optimal template can be selected to match the signal frame. After the short-time Fourier transform of the signal, the difference between the signal and the template is optimized by leaky rectified linear unit (LReLU) function frame by frame. The heart rate was calculated from the peak of the matching curve and the heart rate was calculated. By comparing the proposed method with the autocorrelation method, the results show that the detection accuracy of the proposed method is improved by 20% on average, and the non-linear template matching of 23% samples is at least 50% higher than the autocorrelation method. This paper designs the algorithm by analyzing the characteristics of the interference and signal mixing. We hope that this paper will provide a new idea for fetal heart rate extraction which not only focuses on the original signal.
Algorithms ; Female ; Fetal Monitoring ; Fourier Analysis ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

PURPOSE: Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a potentially fatal disease. Inhaled iloprost, a stable analogue of prostacyclin, has recently been used as a therapeutic option. However, there are no clinical guidelines on the use of iloprost, specifically for neonates. This study aimed to suggest the use of inhaled iloprost as a rescue therapy for PPHN based on our experience.METHODS: The efficacy and adverse events of inhaled iloprost were evaluated prospectively in nine full-term neonates with PPHN. We monitored the following parameters: fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂), respiratory severity score (RSS), heart rate, and mean blood pressure.RESULTS: The inhalation dose was 1 to 2 µg/kg initially, and 4 to 8 inhalations per day were applied over 2 to 8 days, except in the case of one neonate who died 2 days after birth. Echocardiographic findings, changes in FiO₂, and RSS improved within the next 7 days in eight of the nine patients. Severe side effects on heart rate and blood pressure were not observed.CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that inhaled iloprost can be used as a first-line treatment in newborn infants with PPHN when inhaled nitric oxide is not available. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first prospective case series on the use of inhaled iloprost in PPHN.
Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Epoprostenol ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Iloprost ; Infant, Newborn ; Inhalation ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxygen ; Parturition ; Persistent Fetal Circulation Syndrome ; Prospective Studies

A 33-year-old woman visited the emergency department presenting with fever and dyspnea. She was pregnant with gestational age of 31 weeks and 6 days. She had dysuria for 7 days, and fever and dyspnea for 1 day. The vital signs were as follows: blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, heart rate 118 beats/minute, respiratory rate 28/minute, body temperature 38.7℃, and oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry 84% during inhalation of 5 liters of oxygen by nasal prongs. Crackles were heard over both lung fields. There were no signs of uterine contractions. Chest X-ray and chest computed tomography scan showed multiple consolidations and air bronchograms in both lungs. According to urinalysis, there was pyuria and microscopic hematuria. She was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and urinary tract infection (UTI) that progressed to severe sepsis and acute respiratory failure. We found extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli in the blood culture and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the sputum culture. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit with administration of antibiotics and supplementation of high-flow oxygen. On hospital day 2, hypoxemia was aggravated. She underwent endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. After 3 hours, fetal distress was suspected. Under 100% fraction of inspired oxygen, her oxygen partial pressure was 87 mmHg in the arterial blood. She developed acute kidney injury and thrombocytopenia. We diagnosed her with multi-organ failure due to severe sepsis. After an emergent cesarean section, pneumonia, UTI, and other organ failures gradually recovered. The patient and baby were discharged soon thereafter.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Anoxia ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; beta-Lactamases ; Blood Pressure ; Body Temperature ; Cesarean Section ; Dyspnea ; Dysuria ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fever ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lung ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Partial Pressure ; Pneumonia ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; Pregnancy ; Pyuria ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Respiratory Rate ; Respiratory Sounds ; Sepsis ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Thrombocytopenia ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Uterine Contraction ; Vital Signs

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*

OBJECTIVE: To determine the decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) in emergency cesarean delivery and associated factors. METHODS: A total of 431 pregnant women who were indicated for emergency cesarean delivery were included. Clinical information and timing of process after decision until delivery and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean age was 30 years, and 59.4% were nulliparous. Mean gestational age at delivery was 37.9 weeks. The decision was made during normal office hour in 33.2%. Median decision-to-operating room interval, decision-to-incision interval, and DDIs were 45, 70, and 82 minutes, respectively. Only 3.5% of patients had DDI ≤30 minutes, while 52.0% had DDI >75 minutes. During after office hours, every time interval was significantly shorter and 4.9% had DDI ≤30 minutes compared to 0.7% in normal office hours (P=0.001). Compared to other indications, time intervals were significantly shorter in those with non-reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR), and DDI ≤30 minutes was achieved in 18.8% vs. 0.8% (P < 0.001). Shortest DDI was observed among those with non-reassuring FHR during after office hours. Neonatal outcomes were comparable between different DDIs. CONCLUSION: Only 3.5% of emergency cesarean delivery had a DDI ≤30 minutes (median 82 minutes). Significant shorter time intervals were observed in those with non-reassuring FHR during after office hours.
Cesarean Section ; Decision Making ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Thailand

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance of assessment of fetal cardiac output (CO) for the prediction of complications of pregnancy. METHODS: We evaluated 65 fetuses and all of them had a fetal cardiac scan at 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. To measure CO, diameters (d) of the left right ventricle outflow tract were measured just above the valves. Each left CO (LCO) and right CO (RCO) was derived using the following equation: CO = velocity time integral ×π× d²/4 × heart rate. Pregnancy complications included gestational hypertensive disorders, fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preterm birth (PTB) caused from preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM). RESULTS: There were 23 cases with one more pregnancy complication (FGR, 9; gestational hypertensive disorders, 8; PTB caused from PTB or PPROM, 12). The LCO was lower in complication group than in normal group (88±53 vs. 117±48 mL/min, P=0.028). The RCO to the LCO ratio (RCO/LCO) was higher in complication group (2.43±1.69 vs. 1.48±0.81, P=0.001). Regression analysis demonstrated that RCO/LCO was a significant predictor of pregnancy complication; Odds ratio was 7.76 (95% CI, 1.15 to 52.21; P=0.029). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for prediction of pregnancy complications from LCO was 0.71. The diagnostic cut-off value of LCO was 80 mL/min. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve from RCO/LCO was 0.68 and cut-off value was 1.41. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that pregnancy complications can be suspected based on fetal CO assessments at a GA of 20 to 24 weeks.
Cardiac Output* ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetus ; Heart Rate ; Heart Ventricles ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Odds Ratio ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy Complications* ; Pregnancy* ; Premature Birth ; Rupture ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of prostaglandin (PG) E₂ for preterm labor induction and to investigate the predictive factors for the success of vaginal delivery. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in women (n=155) at 24+0 to 36+6 weeks of gestation who underwent induction of labor using a PGE₂ vaginal pessary (10 mg, Propess) from January 2009 to December 2015. Success rates of vaginal delivery according to gestational age at induction and incidence of intrapartum complications such as tachysystole and nonreassuring fetal heart rate were investigated. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive factors for success of labor induction. RESULTS: The vaginal delivery rate was 57% (n=89) and the rate of cesarean delivery after induction was 43% (n=66). According to gestational age, labor induction was successful in 16.7%, 50.0%, and 62.8% of patients at 24 to 31, 32 to 33, and 34 to 36 weeks, showing a stepwise increase (P=0.006). There were 18 cases (11%) of fetal distress, 9 cases (5.8%) of tachysystole, and 6 cases (3.8%) of massive postpartum bleeding (>1,000 mL). After adjusting for confounding factors, multiparity (odds ratio [OR], 8.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.10 to 23.14), younger maternal age (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94), advanced gestational age at induction (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.09), rupture of membranes (OR, 11.83; 95% CI, 3.55 to 39.40), and the Bishop score change after removal of PGE₂ (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.8) were significant predictors of successful preterm vaginal delivery. CONCLUSION: An understanding of the principal predictive factors of successful preterm labor induction, as well as the safety of PGE₂, will provide useful information when clinicians consult with preterm pregnant women requiring premature delivery.
Cohort Studies ; Dinoprostone ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Labor, Induced ; Logistic Models ; Maternal Age ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Parity ; Pessaries ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Premature Birth ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture