The effects of asymmetric volume conductor modeling on non-invasive fetal ECG extraction

Abstract

Objective: Non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-FECG) shows promise for capturing novel physiological information that may indicate signs of fetal distress. However, significant deterioration in NI-FECG signal quality occurs during the presence of a highly non-conductive layer known as vernix caseosa which forms on the fetal body surface beginning in approximately the 28th week of gestation. This work investigates asymmetric modeling of vernix caseosa and other maternal–fetal tissues in accordance with clinical observations and assesses their impacts for NI-FECG signal processing. Approach: We develop a process for simulating dynamic maternal–fetal abdominal ECG mixtures using a synthe..