Author(s)

M. A. Hasan, M. I. Ibrahimy & M. B. I. Reaz

Abstract

Fetal heart rate monitoring is a technique for obtaining important information about the condition of a fetus during pregnancy and labor, by detecting the FECG signal generated by the heart of the fetus. The ultimate reason for the interest in FECG signal analysis is in clinical diagnosis and biomedical applications. The extraction and detection of the FECG signal from composite abdominal signals with powerful and advance methodologies is becoming a very important requirement in fetal monitoring. The purpose of this review paper is to illustrate the various methodologies and algorithms on FECG signal detection and analysis to provide efficient and effective ways of understanding the FECG signal and its nature. A comparative study has been carried out to show the performance of various methods. This paper opens up a passage to biomedical researchers, physicians and end users to advocate an excellent understanding of FECG signal and its analysis procedures for fetal heart rate monitoring system by providing valuable information to help them in developing more dominant, flexible and resourceful applications. Keywords: abdominal ECG, MECG, FECG, fetal heart rate, QRS complex. 1 Introduction Fetal heart rate (FHR) variations during pregnancy and labor have commonly been observed as indirect indications of fetal conditions. An abnormal fetal heart rate or pattern may mean that the fetus is not getting enough oxygen or there are other problems. As a result FHR carries a significient imporatnce of clinical prespectives.

Keywords

abdominal ECG, MECG, FECG, fetal heart rate, QRS complex.