Use of the Doppler signal in the determination of fetal cardiac rhythm
Egarnes, G.; Sturbois, G.; Tournaire, M.; Broche, H.; Sureau, C.
Journal de Gynecologie Obstetrique et Biologie de la Reproduction 4(4): 537-540
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0368-2315 PMID: 1228214 Document Number: 85171
The authors, after going over in brief the technical details of the physical characteristics of ultra-sounds and in particular the Doppler effect, describe a new cardiotachymeter using ultra-sounds which they have developed at the Baudelocque Maternity Hospital in Paris. In the first month in which they used this apparatus they kept 37 records on women who had not yet started labour and 36 records on women who were in labour. In 9 of the latter group they recored the fetal cardiac rhythm by the external route using ultra-sound pick-up and a recording by internal route using the fetal electrocardiogram. Tracings were comparable. It is interesting to note that even when uterine contractions are very strong indeed or the mother moves a lot the ultra-sound pick-up very rarely loses the fetal signal.