Fetal monitoring is useful in assessing the progress of labor and for detection of preterm labor, a leading cause of fetal mortality and morbidity.Commercially available sensors for monitoring intrauterine contractions use cumbersome belts and large and bulky sensors which are uncomfortable and limit the patient's mobility. A small and simple self-adhering intrauterine pressure monitor has been developed. The sensor consists of an air-filled semi-rigid-walled disposable bubble that is attached to the abdomen by an adhesive and presses slightly into the abdominal wall so that changes in intrauterine pressure can be measured. The device demonstrates an excellent correlation when compared to a commercial tocodynamometer for the measurement of contraction duration and frequency. Once the design is optimized, it is expected that the disposable bubble monitor will be a commercial success because of the convenience of attachment, lower noise, greater comfort, lower cost, and convenience afforded to the nurse and to the patient.
