Detection of Pre-term Delivery by the Analysis of Fetal ECG Signals

Abstract

The objectives of assessing the clinical condition of patients, surveying the changes in their conditions and giving essential interventions in time can be accomplished by coordinating technological advancement with methodological instruments, in a manner permitting accurate classification and extraction of useful diagnostic information. The paper is focused on techniques and analysis tools applied to fetal heart rate (fHR) signals and related parameters, to evaluate fetal well-being. The fHR is a critical marker of whether the fetus in the mother’s womb is healthy or not. The fHR signals convey substantially more data on the fetal state than is generally extricated by traditional investigation strategies. Monitoring of fetal heartbeat can be one of the approaches to reduce pregnancy complications. Computer simulations were utilized to examine an issue of checking the Fetal Electrocardiogram (fECG) to distinguish pre-term delivery and fetal distress in the womb. Simulations, processing, and analysis of signals were performed in MATLAB environment. The utilization of time and frequency strategies along with the calculation of explicit indices can add to enhancing the diagnostic power and reliability of fetal monitoring. The paper shows how signal processing approaches can be used in the development of new diagnostic and classification indices.