[37] Intrapartum Assessment of Fetal Wellbeing Flashcards
What is intra-partum fetal monitoring?
The monitoring used immediately preceding or during childbirth
What suggests the possibility of fetal hypoxia?
- Changes in fetal HR
- Meconium-stained liquor
Can changes in fetal HR and meconium-stained liquor occur in normal labour?
Yes
What might a reduction in fetal movements indicate?
Fetal jeopardy
What might cessation in fetal movements indicate?
Fetal death
What things can be used to assess fetal wellbeing?
- Meconium
- Intermittent auscultation
- Fetal cardiotocography
- Fetal scalp blood sampling
What is meconium?
A dark green liquid normally passed by a newborn baby
What does meconium contain?
- Mucus
- Bile
- Epithelial cells
What can sometimes happen with meconium?
It can be passed when the baby is still in the womb, staining the amniotic fluid
What variation is there in meconium in the liquor?
Can very from very light to heavy staining
When is meconium staining in the liquor considered significant?
If dark green or black, with thick, tenacious appearance
What is meconium stained liquor considered to be a sign of?
Fetal distress
What is the problem with passing meconium whilst still in utero?
Components of the meconium, especially bile salts and enzymes, can cause serious complications if they are inhaled by the fetus at any stage of labour
What can be caused by inhalation of meconium by the baby?
Meconium aspiration syndrome
What pathological mechanisms participate in meconium aspiration syndrome?
- Airway obstruction
- Surfactant dysfunction
- Inflammation
- Lung oedema
- Pulmonary vasoconstriction
- Bronchoconstriction
What % of infants in the developed world are born with meconium-stained liquor?
8-25%
What % of live births does meconium aspiration syndrome occur in?
1-3%
What are the risk factors for passing meconium in utero?
- Placental insufficiency
- Maternal hypertension and pre-eclampsia
- Oligohydraminos
- Smoking
- Cocaine abuse
- Increased maternal age
What should be done if significant meconium staining is noted in labour?
Should be continuous electrical fetal monitoring
What should be done if there is significant meconium staining noted in labour, and signs of fetal distress?
A fetal blood sample should be obtained
What should be done at delivery if there is meconium stained liquor, and the neonate is in good condition?
There should be no suction, and the baby should be observed for signs of respiratory distress in the first hour of life, the second hour of life, and then 2 hourly until 12 hours old
How is it defined that the fetus is in good condition at delivery?
Apgar score >5
What should be done at delivery if there is blood or any lumps of meconium in the oropharynx?
Suction should be used in the upper airways
What should be done at delivery if there is meconium stained liquor, and the neonate is unwell?
Follow guidelines for meconium aspiration
What is intermittent auscultation used for?
Monitoring of FHR
How often should FHR be monitored in the first stage of labour?
Every 15 minutes for a period of 1 minute
When should the FHR be checked in the first stage of labour?
Soon after a contraction
How is intermittent auscultation of FHR performed?
Using a handheld Doppler ultrasound transducer or Pinard fetal stethoscope
How often is the FHR monitored during the second stage of labour?
Every 5 minutes, or every other contractions
How are contractions monitored in labour?
By manual palpation over a period of 10 minutes
What can manual palpation of contractions over a period of 10 minutes determine?
Frequency and duration
What can the indications for the use of continuous electrical fetal monitoring be divided into?
- Maternal
- Fetal
What are the maternal indications for the use of continuous electrical fetal monitoring?
- Previous C-section
- Pre-eclampsia
- Post-term pregnancy
- Prolonged rupture of membranes
- Induced labour
- Diabetes
- Antepartum haemorrhage
- Other maternal medical disease
What are the fetal indications for the use of continuous electrical fetal monitoring?
- Fetal growth restriction
- Prematurity
- Oligohydraminos
- Abnormal Doppler artery velocimetry
- Multiple pregnancy
- Meconium-stained liquor
- Breech presentation
What does cardiotocography enable?
Continuous monitoring of the fetal HR, and the frequency and duration of uterine contractions
How is the FHR determined in CTG?
Usually using a Doppler ultrasound transducer
Where is the Doppler ultrasound transducer placed for CTG monitoring?
Applied externally to maternal abdomen
How is uterine activity usually recorded for CTG monitoring?
Using a pressure transducer
Where is the pressure transducer applied for CTG monitoring?
Over the anterior abdominal wall, between the fundus and the umbilicus
Other than using a pressure transducer, how can uterine activity be measured?
By inserting a fluid-filled catheter or pressure sensor into the uterine cavity through the cervical canal
What is the advantage of external tocography?
It gives an accurate measurement of the frequency and duration