Introduction The four-channel-tocography was developed to register the
spatial and temporal pattern of uterine contractions and to evaluate
their clinical relevance. In this study it should be assessed whether
the four-channel-tocography can also register fetal movements. Materia
l and methods The study included 38 women with a gestational age betwe
en 28 and 43 weeks and singleton pregnancy. Four pressure transducers
were attached in a square around the umbilicus. Parallel to the contin
uous registration of four-channel-tocography fetal movements were obse
rved by conventional ultrasound. Results In a total of 23 hours and 11
minutes 403 fetal movements were registered by ultrasound and 405 by
four-channel-tocography. 17% of the ultrasonically observed fetal move
ments were documented by the four-channel-tocography and 70% of the to
cographically registered movements could be verified by ultrasound. Co
nclusion Fetal movements can be registered by four-channel-tocography
with good sensitivity and reliability. Essential for its clinical use
is an automatic analysis, which is being developed.