- Email: [email protected]
Fetal phonocardiography
Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprti. Elsevier
Biol., 23 (1986) 259
259
EJO 00409
Introduction
Fetal phonocardiography Historically, listening to fetal heart sounds has always been one of the obstetrician’s favourite activities. And yet, up to now, the actual sounds themselves have given him little useful information on fetal wellbeing, except to indicate that the fetus is still alive. The apparent absence of any useful information in the fetal heart sounds themselves contrasts with the situation in the adult, where the physician can amass an enormous amount of information about the heart, using only a stethoscope to listen to its sounds. For a while in the late 1960s however, fetal phonocardiography looked like coming into its own when continuous monitoring of fetal heart rate was introduced and found to be useful: Nevertheless, phonocardiography soon fell into disrepute again as it was overtaken by ultrasonic cardiography, with its superior signal-to-noise ratio. There the situation might have rested had not research groups in both Germany and the United Kingdom decided independently to re-investigate what seemed to many to be a lost cause - fetal phonocardiography. Each of the groups had strong bio-engineering support, and it was indeed the engineers who showed how sophisticated techniques of signal acquisition and of signal processing might be applied to fetal heart sounds to reveal useful information. Their short-term goal was simply to improve fetal data collection, but in the longer term they foresaw a better understanding of fetal physiology, and thereby an improvement in fetal health and wellbeing. From time to time, the European Community Project ‘Perinatal Monitoring’ brings together European clinicians and scientists in order to discuss obstetrical problems of common interest. On 9th and 10th January 1986, such a group met to discuss fetal phonocardiography, at the invitation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the University of Cambridge. Although the meeting lasted only one full day (at the Rosie Maternity Hospital and also at Jesus College), and had only 20 invited participants, it covered the field both widely and in depth. For this reason, we are particularly grateful for the opportunity to present here the papers given at the Cambridge meeting. It is interesting to note that in Cambridge one of Europe’s oldest universities is associated with one of Europe’s newest maternity hospitals. Equally, it is interesting to speculate on what might be found when one of obstetric’s oldest signals - the fetal heart sounds - is subject to the latest in signal-acquisition and signal-processing techniques. Kevin J. Dalton, Conference Chairman Chairman Project 002%2243/86/$03.50
Henk W. Jongsma, of the EC Working Group CTG
Leader of the EC Project
0 1986 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical
Herman P. van Geijn, ‘Perinatal Monitoring’ Division)
Biol., 23 (1986) 259
259
EJO 00409
Introduction
Fetal phonocardiography Historically, listening to fetal heart sounds has always been one of the obstetrician’s favourite activities. And yet, up to now, the actual sounds themselves have given him little useful information on fetal wellbeing, except to indicate that the fetus is still alive. The apparent absence of any useful information in the fetal heart sounds themselves contrasts with the situation in the adult, where the physician can amass an enormous amount of information about the heart, using only a stethoscope to listen to its sounds. For a while in the late 1960s however, fetal phonocardiography looked like coming into its own when continuous monitoring of fetal heart rate was introduced and found to be useful: Nevertheless, phonocardiography soon fell into disrepute again as it was overtaken by ultrasonic cardiography, with its superior signal-to-noise ratio. There the situation might have rested had not research groups in both Germany and the United Kingdom decided independently to re-investigate what seemed to many to be a lost cause - fetal phonocardiography. Each of the groups had strong bio-engineering support, and it was indeed the engineers who showed how sophisticated techniques of signal acquisition and of signal processing might be applied to fetal heart sounds to reveal useful information. Their short-term goal was simply to improve fetal data collection, but in the longer term they foresaw a better understanding of fetal physiology, and thereby an improvement in fetal health and wellbeing. From time to time, the European Community Project ‘Perinatal Monitoring’ brings together European clinicians and scientists in order to discuss obstetrical problems of common interest. On 9th and 10th January 1986, such a group met to discuss fetal phonocardiography, at the invitation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the University of Cambridge. Although the meeting lasted only one full day (at the Rosie Maternity Hospital and also at Jesus College), and had only 20 invited participants, it covered the field both widely and in depth. For this reason, we are particularly grateful for the opportunity to present here the papers given at the Cambridge meeting. It is interesting to note that in Cambridge one of Europe’s oldest universities is associated with one of Europe’s newest maternity hospitals. Equally, it is interesting to speculate on what might be found when one of obstetric’s oldest signals - the fetal heart sounds - is subject to the latest in signal-acquisition and signal-processing techniques. Kevin J. Dalton, Conference Chairman Chairman Project 002%2243/86/$03.50
Henk W. Jongsma, of the EC Working Group CTG
Leader of the EC Project
0 1986 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical
Herman P. van Geijn, ‘Perinatal Monitoring’ Division)