Preterm birth (PB) is defined as birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy and is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 worldwide. It is estimated that 5-18% of births are preterm, with associated complications accounting for the death of approximately 1 million children each year. Adopting the mantra that ‘prevention is the best cure’, it is evident that preventing PB is matter of global relevance. However, as PB is a multi-factorial process that is not yet fully understood, it is difficult to predict. As premature uterine contractions are the first indication of preterm labour, monitoring uterine activity is a useful intrapartum measurement in attempting to predict PB. Electrohysterography (EHG) measures uterine electrical currents through contact electrodes on the maternal abdomen. These currents are then converted into a legible tocogram. The EHG technique provides a non-invasive and more accurate alternative to current methods. This undergraduate summer research project aims to investigate the EHG features used to predict PB and to evaluate its use in clinical practice. Statistical analysis will be applied to EHG features to determine if EHG is accurate in its discrimination between term and preterm signals and thus if EHG is an appropriate means of predicting preterm birth.
