Wavelet analysis method for processing and recognition of abdominal fetal ECG waveform

Abstract

In the paper a method is presented for eliminating the maternal electrocardiogram (MECG) from the abdominal signal to enhance the fetal electrocardiogram (FECG). In the method, the FECG signal can be amplified till saturated distortion, even saturation of MECG has happened. The result is derived from utilization of wavelet analysis. At first, the wavelet analysis approach is used to detect the position of the MECG in saturated distortion. Then the MECG is eliminated from the abdominal signal. Next it is used to enhance the FECG so that FECG can be extracted from the high noise. The advantage of the proposed method is that it is not limited by the distorted MECG. Tests on clinical data have shown that this method can be more effective in detecting the FECG signal in many cases when compared with other methods in practice.