Quantitation of uterine activity in 100 primiparous patients.
Publication/Presentation Date
2-15-1976
Abstract
An on-line technique for quantitating uterine activity by measuring the total area under the intrauterine pressure curve was utilized during the labor of 100 primiparous patients. Uterine activity was measured in uterine activity units (1 UAU=1 Torr minute). UAU's were calculated for each patient in both cumulative and noncumulative fashions. The rate of uterine activity (UAU per unit of time) increased as labor progressed, yet the total UAU's expended at each centimeter of dilatation progressively decreased with advancing dilatation. Thus, the rate of cervical dilatation increased faster than could be accounted for by the increase in uterine activity. The implication being that the efficiency of uterine contractions increases with advancing labor. It no longer appears reasonable to refer to labor in terms of elapsed time. Information regarding the "pattern of cervical dilatation" and uterine activity appears to be much more meaningful to the evaluation of progress in labor. Quantitation of uterine activity may provide useful information for the ongoing management of labor. Quantitation of UA does provide a means of evaluating the effects of specific events such as medication, anesthesia, and manipulation on UA.
Volume
124
Issue
4
First Page
398
Last Page
405
ISSN
0002-9378
Published In/Presented At
Miller FC, Yeh SY, Schifrin BS, Paul RH, Hon EH. Quantitation of uterine activity in 100 primiparous patients. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1976 Feb 15;124(4):398-405. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(76)90100-9. PMID: 1251861.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
1251861
Department(s)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Document Type
Article