Application of a real‐time microcomputer monitoring system: surveillance of induced labour by uterine activity quantitation

The uterine activity of women during induced labour was analysed with a real‐time Commodore PET 2001 series microcomputer. The active contraction area was measured in torr‐min (1 torr = 0.133 kPa) per 10 min epochs [uterine activity unit (UAU)/10 min]. Surgical induction was followed immediately by administration of a geometric oxytocin infusion and all patients received epidural analgesia. Twenty‐eight primigravidae for whom inductographic and partographic progress were normal had a mean ‘stable phase’ uterine activity of 118±2 SD 43 UAU/10 min (≡942±2 SD 343 kPas/10 min) whereas 15 multiparae had a mean ‘stable phase’ of 83±2 SD 34 UAU/10 min (≡662±2 SD 271kPas/10min). This difference was significant (P