Electromyography in Labor and Parturition

Objectives * To define the relationship between uterine electrical activity EMG during labor and parturition to various phases of labor and cervical dilations. * To define the relationship between uterine and body site electrical activity EMG and brain EEG during labor and parturition in patient with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy * To characterize electrical activity of pelvic floor muscles in relationship to uterine and abdominal muscles during delivery between subsets of patients * To examine the electrical activity of women in preterm labor and those with labor dystocias to observe the effects of various treatments, which may have an impact on preventing or augmenting labor progress. * To observe the impact of naturally occurring pregnancy pathology and common obstetrical interventions on the changes in uterine, abdominal, pelvic floor and brain EEG/EMG characteristics as compared to health normal gravid patients. Study Population: Pregnant volunteers greater than 18 years of age who speak English. Design: During the course of the participant's admission, they will be dispositioned to usual obstetric care which may include minimal intervention if spontaneous labor, induction of labor or augmentation of labor as indicated. As part of the study protocol, enrolled participants will be monitored with external sensors/transducers. The device will be attached to a patient's body, which may include the abdominal surface, perineal surface and the mother's scalp by trained study staff through electrical leads that are connected to commercially available EMG or EEG electrodes that have adhesive material in contact with the surface of the patient. Recordings will be made at specific times during labor