Fetal ecg monitoring

Abstract

A method for fetal monitoring includes acquiring electrical signals from a set of electrodes, for example, a set of surface electrodes applied to a maternal abdominal region. The electrical signals are analyzed, including by performing a morphological analysis of fetal electrocardiogram signals. A clinical indicator is then determined from a result of performing the morphological analysis.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A fetal monitor, comprising:
 a garment adapted for wearing around a torso of a pregnant female; and   a plurality of electrodes associated with the garment such that, when the garment is disposed around the torso, at least one physiological parameter of the fetus is detected regardless of the position of the fetus within the pregnant female.   
     
     
         30 . The fetal monitor of  claim 29  wherein the physiological parameter is fetal heart rate, fetal brain activity, fetal body position, or a combination thereof 
     
     
         31 . The fetal monitor of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise one or more dry electrodes. 
     
     
         32 . The fetal monitor of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise one or more gel-adhesive electrodes. 
     
     
         33 . The fetal monitor of  claim 29  wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise at least one dry electrode and at least one gel-adhesive electrode. 
     
     
         34 . The fetal monitor of  claim 29  further comprising electronics that receives a collecting electrode signal from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, receives a reference electrode signal from at least another one of the plurality of electrodes, and produces a lead signal based on the received collecting and reference electrode signals. 
     
     
         35 . The fetal monitor of  claim 34  wherein the lead signal produced by the electronics comprises a voltage differential between the received collecting and reference electrode signals. 
     
     
         36 . The fetal monitor of  claim 34  wherein the electronics comprises an amplifier, each of the received collecting and reference electrode signals being an input to the amplifier and the lead signal being an output of the amplifier. 
     
     
         37 . The fetal monitor of  claim 34  wherein the electronics receives a maternal reference electrode signal from at least one of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         38 . The fetal monitor of  claim 34  wherein each of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes producing the collecting electrode signal is referred to as a collecting electrode and each of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes producing the reference electrode signal is referred to as a reference electrode, and wherein at least one of the collecting electrodes and at least one of the reference electrodes are disposed on different sides of the torso when the garment is worn around the torso of the pregnant female. 
     
     
         39 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed within an abdominal region of the torso and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed within a lumbar region of the torso. 
     
     
         40 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed within a lumbar region of the torso and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed within an abdominal region of torso. 
     
     
         41 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed on a left side of the torso and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed on a right side of the torso. 
     
     
         42 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed on a right side of the torso and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed on a left side of the torso. 
     
     
         43 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed on a left side of the torso, and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed within an abdominal region of the torso, the lumbar region of the torso, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         44 . The fetal monitor of  claim 38  wherein one or more of the collecting electrodes are disposed on a right side of the torso, and one or more of the reference electrodes are disposed within an abdominal region of the torso, the lumbar region of the torso, or a combination thereof.