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The assessment of selected parameters of bioelectric and mechanical activity of the uterus during pharmacologic treatment of threatening preterm delivery
Affiliations- 2nd Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wroclaw Medical Univesity, Poland
- Lukasiewicz Research Network, Institute of Medical Technology and Equipment, Zabrze, Poland
open access
Abstract
Objectives: To analyze and compare the bioelectric and mechanical activity of the uterus in pregnant women with threatening
preterm delivery treated with tocolysis. Additionally, auxiliary parameters of the bioelectric signal, as registered by
electrohysterography and characteristic only for this method, were measured and analyzed.
Material and methods: Forty-five women with pregnancies from 24 to 36 weeks of gestation with typical clinical symptoms
of threatening preterm delivery were given tocolytic therapy. Registration and analysis of bioelectric activity with
electrohysterography was performed simultaneously with registration and analysis of mechanical activity with tocography.
Results: After administration of tocolytic treatment, the presence of bioelectric activity was accompanied by the lack of or
minimal occurrence of mechanical activity. All parameters of contraction recorded by electrohysterography had significantly
greater values than those recorded by tocography.
Conclusions: Measurement of bioelectric activity is more sensitive than measurement of mechanical activity of the
uterus. Elevated bioelectric activity of the uterine muscle was observed despite the use of tocolysis, a lack of symptoms
of threatening preterm delivery, as well as a lack of contraction in tocography. The presence of bioelectric activity may
precede the occurrence of mechanical activity of the uterus, but further research is required on larger groups of patients.
Abstract
Objectives: To analyze and compare the bioelectric and mechanical activity of the uterus in pregnant women with threatening
preterm delivery treated with tocolysis. Additionally, auxiliary parameters of the bioelectric signal, as registered by
electrohysterography and characteristic only for this method, were measured and analyzed.
Material and methods: Forty-five women with pregnancies from 24 to 36 weeks of gestation with typical clinical symptoms
of threatening preterm delivery were given tocolytic therapy. Registration and analysis of bioelectric activity with
electrohysterography was performed simultaneously with registration and analysis of mechanical activity with tocography.
Results: After administration of tocolytic treatment, the presence of bioelectric activity was accompanied by the lack of or
minimal occurrence of mechanical activity. All parameters of contraction recorded by electrohysterography had significantly
greater values than those recorded by tocography.
Conclusions: Measurement of bioelectric activity is more sensitive than measurement of mechanical activity of the
uterus. Elevated bioelectric activity of the uterine muscle was observed despite the use of tocolysis, a lack of symptoms
of threatening preterm delivery, as well as a lack of contraction in tocography. The presence of bioelectric activity may
precede the occurrence of mechanical activity of the uterus, but further research is required on larger groups of patients.
Keywords
electrohysterography; tocography; uterine constrictions; preterm delivery; tocolysis
About this articleTitle
The assessment of selected parameters of bioelectric and mechanical activity of the uterus during pharmacologic treatment of threatening preterm delivery
Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Pages
183-187
Published online
2021-03-17
Page views
698
Article views/downloads
586
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Ginekol Pol 2021;92(3):183-187.
Keywords
electrohysterography
tocography
uterine constrictions
preterm delivery
tocolysis
Authors
Marek Tomialowicz
Mariusz Zimmer
Tomasz Fuchs
Adam Matonia
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