M-mode Ultrasound Scan as a Potential Alternative Technique for Monitoring Uterine Contractions in Obese Patients


İNCE O., Karaca S. Y., Karaca I.

REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES, cilt.28, sa.7, ss.1989-1995, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 28 Sayı: 7
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s43032-020-00435-9
  • Dergi Adı: REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, EMBASE, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1989-1995
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

We investigate motion mode (M-mode) ultrasound scan as a potential non-invasive uterine monitoring technique and compare its contraction characteristics with external tocodynamometry (TOCO). This prospective diagnostic accuracy study included 39 term pregnant woman in active spontaneous labor. M-mode and TOCO were simultaneously performed and uterine contraction characteristics and consistency were compared quantitatively and visually. The results identified a 71.5% +/- 35.3% uterine wall thickening during uterine contractions on M-mode. Uterine monitoring with M-mode had a consistency rate of 88.7% +/- 6.9% with conventional TOCO method. During 20-min monitoring, the number of detected contractions was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in M-mode (8.2 +/- 1.2) than TOCO (7.4 +/- 1.5). As for the mean value of the duration of a contraction (seconds), it was significantly shorter (p < 0.001) in M-mode (38.5 +/- 3.5) than TOCO (49.2 +/- 4.1). For M-mode, the number of detected contractions had a negative but insignificant correlation with the body mass index (BMI) (r = - 0.25 [- 0.52, 0.07], p = 0.127) and the subcutaneous tissue thickness (STT) (r = - 0.21 [- 0.49, 0.11], p = 0.200). As for TOCO, the contractions had a negative and significant correlation with BMI (r = - 0.41 [- 0.64, - 0.11], p = 0.009) and negative and insignificant correlation with STT (r = - 0.26 [- 0.54, 0.06], p = 0.104). The evidence suggests that contraction detection with M-mode is a promising non-invasive technique for uterine monitoring. The preliminary analysis finds that contraction detection is not affected by BMI or STT. With future sensitivity studies, and improvements in image-processing and software technologies, the proposed technique promises to be a viable alternative to existing techniques, especially for obese patients.