Uterine exercise is quantified by figuring out the energy and frequency of contractions over a 10-minute interval. The energy of every contraction is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) above baseline uterine tone. The Montevideo unit (MVU) is calculated by multiplying the typical stress generated by every contraction (above baseline) by the variety of contractions in a 10-minute window. For instance, if a affected person has contractions averaging 50 mmHg above baseline and experiences 4 contractions in 10 minutes, the MVU worth is 200.
This measurement offers a standardized methodology for assessing the adequacy of labor and predicting the probability of vaginal supply. Clinicians use MVUs to information choices concerning interventions akin to augmentation with oxytocin. A enough stage of uterine exercise, sometimes thought of to be between 200 and 250 MVUs, is usually required for efficient cervical dilation and fetal descent. The idea was launched by Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia and Herman Alvarez in Montevideo, Uruguay, therefore the title. Their work established a quantitative framework for understanding the physiology of labor and considerably improved the administration of labor dystocia.
