Search

Intrauterine tocometry was used to study the influence of uterine motility on the relationship between the frequency and strength of contractions upon cervical dilatation. As it was not possible to collect sufficient material for valid conclusions on a series of patients with similar uterine activity, fetal size, uterine volume, cervical resistance, and lower uterine segment development; only women in normal labor without disproportion and delivered of infants in the occipitoanterior vertex presentation were included in the study. The average intensity and frequency of contractions and the average uterine activity were calculated for each woman. The patients were divided with regard to parity and ruptured or unruptured membranes. It was learned that the most rapid cervical dilatation occurs, for unchanged uterine activity, at the frequency of 21-23 contractions per hour. The observation is important for understanding the 1st stage of labor for proper treatment, by drugs, of dystocia.

Cervical tension during normal uterine action at term has been studied by simultaneous recordings using the cervical dynamometer, 11 measuring the tangential tensions related to the cranium and by intrauterine tocography 3 measuring the radial head-to-cervix tensions. Amniotic pressure was measured simultaneously by a method of intrauterine tocography. The results together with some earlier findings are discussed in order to give a contribution to the explanation of the mechanism of cervical dilatation at labor.