Objective: Premature uterine contractions, a major cause of premature birth during pregnancy, are treated with tocolytics. However, tocolytics currently used in clinical practice are known to cause many side effects to the mother and the fetus. The purpose of this study is to confirm the delay and inhibition of uterine contractions by micro-electric stimulation in uterine smooth muscle tissue obtained during C-section.
Methods: Maternal uterine smooth muscle tissue was obtained with maternal consent after IRB approval [2020AN0339, 2020AN0014]. Myography experiment was performed with the uterine muscle obtained from a 1 x 3 cm C-section. Myography data were analyzed by dividing the results into control group and micro-electro stimulation. Results were analyzed by quantifying the contraction peak amplitude (Labscribe program). Statistical analysis of myography results was performed using the Excel statistical data analysis program t-test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
Results: Inhibition of contraction by micro-electrical stimulation was confirmed in uterine smooth muscle tissues of 20 patients (P < 0.0001) (Fig. 1). Contraction reduction was confirmed in uterine smooth muscle tissue obtained from preterm patients (P < 0.0001), but statistical significance could not be confirmed in full-term patients (Fig. 2). In Patient 1, it was confirmed that the amplitude decreased by 100 % of uterine contractions were suppressed after 10 min (Fig. 3). In patient 2, unlike the control group, which contracted after 20 min of micro-electric stimulation, there was no contraction (contraction delay), the contraction amplitude decreased by 100 % after 40 min (Fig. 4).
Conclusion: Our data confirmed that micro-electrical stimulation can delay or inhibit the contraction of the uterine muscle. Based on the above results, it will be possible to develop a therapeutic device that can suppress uterine contractions instead of tocolytics used in clinical practice.