The physiology of uterine contractions.

Studies in animals and humans indicate that uterine performance can be successfully monitored during pregnancy using uterine electromyography. Uterine electromyography could be used to better define management in a variety of conditions associated with human labor. The potential benefits of the proposed instrumentation and method include: reducing the rate of preterm delivery, improving maternal and perinatal outcome, monitoring treatment, decreasing cesarean-section rate, and providing research methods to better understand uterine function.