Systems, devices, and methods for performing trans-abdominal fetal oximetry and/or trans-abdominal fetal pulse oximetry

Abstract

Light beams emitted from one or more light sources may be directed into an abdomen of a pregnant mammal toward a fetus contained therein. Some of the light may be reflected by the pregnant woman and fetus and received at a detector over a first time. A photo detector into an electronic reflected signal, which may be communicated to a computer, may then convert the received light. The electronic reflected signal may then be processed and/or analyzed to isolate a portion of the electronic reflected signal reflected from the fetus. The isolated portion of the electronic reflected signal reflected from the fetus may then be analyzed to determine a fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level of the fetus. An indication of the fetal hemoglobin oxygen saturation level may then be provided to an operator by way of, for example, a computer display.