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Objectives: To record and analyse bioelectrical activity of the uterine muscle in the course of physiological pregnancy, labour and threatening premature labour; to define which parameters from the analysis of both electrohysterogram and mechanical activity signal allow us to predict threatening premature labour., Material and Methods: Material comprised 62 pregnant women: Group I--27 patients in their first physiological pregnancy, Group II--21 patients in their first pregnancy with symptoms of threatening premature labour, and Group III--14 patients in the first labour period. The on-line analysis of the mechanical (TOCO) and electrical (EHG) contraction activity relied on determination of quantitative parameters of detected uterine contractions., Results: The obtained statistical results demonstrated a possibility to differentiate between Group I and II through the amplitude and contraction area for EHG signal, and only the contraction amplitude for TOCO signal. Additionally, significant differentiating parameters for electrohysterogram are: contraction power and its median frequency. Analyzing Group I and III, significant differences were noted for contraction amplitude and area obtained both from EHG and TOCO signals. Similarly, the contraction power (from EHG) enables us to assign the contractions either to records from Group I or to labour type. There was no significant difference noted between Group II and III., Conclusions: Identification of pregnant women at risk of premature labour should lead to their inclusion in rigorous perinatal surveillance. This requires novel, more sensitive methods that are able to detect early symptoms of the uterine contraction activity increase. Electrohysterography provides complete information on principles of bioelectrical uterine activity. Quantitative parameters of EHG analysis enable the detection of records (contractions) with the symptoms of premature uterine contraction activity.

Frequency and strength of the uterine contractions monitoring enables to control the labour progress and also, although in a restricted way, to determine the beginning of labour, as long as it is not preterm. Mechanical approach provides only the low frequency signal, which describes the contractions more or less accurately, depending on whether an intrauterine pressure measurement is used in the former case or whether an external stress measurement is applied in the latter case. This signal does not comprise information on contractions characteristics and enables only to estimate their basic timing parameters. Description of the electrophysiological properties may be obtained only by means of the uterine electrical signals measurement. In the following paper, the classical interpretation of the uterine contraction activity which relies upon its mechanical and electrical activity was presented. Additionally, the frequency parameters provided exclusively by the electrical signal were proposed. The possibility of the electrohysterogram analysis may provide more complete information on uterine muscle functioning. Results of the research studies show that further development of electrohysterography will enable its wider application in pregnancy and labour diagnostics.

Correct uterine contraction activity during labour determines physiological fetal delivery and ensures its satisfactory outcome. Contraction activity monitoring may be accomplished by either recording of the mechanical properties of the uterine muscle and/or by measurement of the action potentials produced by the uterus during contraction. In the following paper, the current state of knowledge concerning the methods for assessment and monitoring of the uterine contraction activity was evaluated. The electrophysiological properties of the uterus were given. The mechanical methods of uterine activity monitoring: internal and external tocography were described. The development of the electrohysterography as the method providing the signal comprising complete information on bioelectrical properties of the uterine muscle was presented. The conclusion was that the analysis of the electrohysterogram enables a description of the source of the uterine contraction activity, whereas currently applied mechanical methods merely record the results of this activity.

Maternal immune thrombocytopenia is a frequent finding in pregnancy and is most commonly asymptomatic and clinically benign. 8 pregnant women with thrombocytopenia between January 1995 and December 2000, in Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Katowice-Ligota, were evaluated. 7 patients had idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura and one (31 years old) had cirrhosis, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and elevated liver enzymes. 6 cases was steroid-treated with initial platelet count 4,000 per cubic millimeter to 115,000 per cubic millimeter after treatment. Alloimmune thrombocytopenia is a serious fetal disorder, resulting from platelet-antigen incompatibility between the mother and fetus. Among all newborns only one had thrombocytopenia, platelet count 45,000 per cubic millimeter, without neonatal intracranial hemorrhage. 6 women had cesarean section and 2 patients delivered naturally.