Uterine electromyography (EMG) measurements to predict preterm caesarean section in patients with complete placenta previa

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate uterine electrical activity (EA) with EMG methods in pregnant women with complete placenta previa with preterm caesarean section (CS). This prospective study included 78 patients with complete placenta previa who were recorded for uterine EA activity from 32 to 34 weeks of gestation. The clinical and the uterine EMG burst characteristics, that are responsible for contractions, were compared between a preterm CS group (case group, n = 33) and an elective control group (control group, n = 45). The uterine EA burst duration was longer in the case group compared with the control group (28.79 ± 3.75 vs 19.35 ± 2.56 s; p < .001). Also, the number of burst per 30 min was also higher in the case group compared with the control group (3.28 ± 0.18 vs 1.72 ± 0.22; p < .001), Similarly, the RMS was higher in the case group compared with the control group (0.07 ± 0.01 vs 0.04 ± 0.01 mV; p = .041). In addition, the PDS was higher in the case group compared with the control group (0.47 ± 0.03 vs 0.39 ± 0.02 Hz; p = .023). This study demonstrates that women with complete placenta previa have higher uterine EA at 32–34 weeks of gestation and this is associated with a higher risk of preterm CS due to massive vaginal bleeding.

IMPACT STATEMENT

• What is already known on this subject? Antepartum massive bleeding in complete placenta previa causes maternal and foetal mortality and morbidity, currently there is no effective method to predict it.

• What do the results of this study add? This study showed in patients with complete placenta previa who were delivered preterm via emergent caesarean section, the uterine electrical activity measured by uterine electromyography (EMG) at 32–34 weeks of gestation had an active pattern

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Uterine EMG is a potential tool to measure uterine electrical activity and can guide clinical management of patients with complete placenta previa, further study are needed to confirm its effectiveness in a large sample size.

Keywords:

• Placenta previa
• preterm
• uterine EMG

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).