Patterns of electrical activity synchronization in the pregnant rat uterus

Studies of the synchronization of uterine electromyography (EMG) recordings can offer insight into the underlying dynamics of the uterus. Many human studies have shown that synchronization increases throughout pregnancy and at the onset of labor. We investigated whether this phenomenon occurs in other species and if it could thus be generalized. To this end we calculated the nonlinear correlation coefficient (h2) for 30 uterine EMG channels positioned on the uterus of pregnant Wistar rats using an experimental protocol developed in our laboratory. The results obtained for 16 rats recorded on different gestational days revealed a notable increase in h2 values throughout pregnancy and at term. These results could improve our understanding of physiological changes in uterine activity and help in enhancing labor detection.