Intrapartum monitor patch

An integrated patch placed on the body of a pregnant female to obtain one or more vital signs non-invasively, comprising:

• at least two sensors contacting the surface of the skin of the pregnant female at the abdomen, said sensors receiving one or more vital signs, one of said sensors comprising at least a pair of biopotential electrodes for receiving an EMG signal representing uterine activity;
• an amplifier network for amplifying said vital sign signal from said sensors, and for amplifying said EMG signals received from said biopotential electrodes;
• a processor for performing digital signal processing on EMG signals and a vital sign signal;
• a power source for powering said monitor patch;
• means for extracting at least one vital sign by said processor;
• and
• means for extracting an EMG signal pattern by said processor.

A system for non-invasively monitoring a laboring female, comprising:

• a monitor patch adhesively attached and worn on the body of said pregnant female, said patch incorporating biopotential electrodes, corresponding biopotential amplifiers for amplifying an EHG signal and fetal ECG present on the body of said laboring female, a power source for powering said monitor patch, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting data representative of myometrial activity and fetal heart activity;
• an interface device incorporating a wireless receiver for receiving said data representing myometrial activity and fetal heart activity sent by said monitor patch, and a signal conditioner for producing an input signal representative of myometrial activity and fetal heart activity to an external monitor;
• and
• an external monitor for receiving said input signal and displaying myometrial activity and fetal heart activity.

A method for non-invasive monitoring of a pregnant female, comprising the steps of:

• adhesively attaching an integrated patch on the abdomen of said pregnant female, said patch comprising a thin flexible substrate, a biopotential amplifier, biopotential electrodes contacting the skin for receiving composite biopotential signal comprising a composite ECG signal and an EHG signal representative of uterine contractions, a processor, and a power source;
• amplifying said biopotential signal obtained from said electrodes with said biopotential amplifier;
• extracting myometrial activity data from said EMG signal with said processor;
• and
• extracting fetal heart activity data from said composite ECG signal with said processor.

A method for non-invasive monitoring of a laboring female, comprising the steps of:

• adhesively attaching an integrated monitor patch on the abdomen area of said laboring female, said patch comprising a thin flexible substrate, at least two biopotential electrodes contacting the skin of said laboring female at the abdomen for receiving an ECG signal representing fetal heart activity and an EMG signal representing myometrial activity, biopotential amplifiers for amplifying said ECG signal and said EMG signal, and a wireless transmitter;
• amplifying said ECG signal and said EMG signal obtained from said biopotential electrodes with said biopotential amplifiers;
• sending a wireless signal representing myometrial activity and fetal heart activity with said wireless transmitter to an external monitor;
• and
• displaying myometrial activity and fetal heart activity with said external monitor.