Abnormal pregnancy Flashcards
Ectopic pregnancy
- most common site
- incidence
- risk factors
Most common site –> ampulla of fallopian tube
Incidence
- true incidence is uncertain –> estimated as 2%, likely underestimated
- increase in cases due to increased use of assisted reproductive technologies
- remains the leading cause of maternal mortality, despite great improvements –> bleeding can occur when the implanting pregnancy erodes into blood vessels or ruptures through structures
Risk factors –> most cases are thought to be due to tubal disease
- previous tubal surgery
- infections (salpingitis/PID)
- previous ectopic (15% recurrence)
- endometriosis
- pelvic or abdominal surgery
- failed tubal ligation
Other risk factors
- smoking
- infertility and use of infertility tx
- DES exposure in utero
Ectopic pregnancy
- clinical symptoms
- abdominal pain or pelvic pain
- amenorrhea
- vaginal bleeding
- –> Any sexually active woman of reproductive age who presents with any of these symptoms should have ectopic pregnancy as part of her initial differential dx
Other symptoms
- pregnancy symptoms - vomiting
- intraabdominal bleeding –> syncope, dizziness, shoulder pain
ectopic pregnancy
- differential diagnosis
- ectopic pregnancy
- early intra-uterine pregnancy
- miscarriage
- PID
Ectopic pregnancy
- physical exam/lab findings
Physical findings
- abdominal tenderness
- adnexal tenderness
- adnexal mass
- hypotension + tachycardia –> from internal bleeding
Lab findings –> pregnancy test
- urine test detects hcg 14 days after conception
- serum test detects after 5 days
- follow hcg levels at 2 day intervals –> should double every 48 hours early in pregnancy
- a viable intra-uterine pregnancy demonstrates a minimal increase of 66% every 48 hours in serum hcg levels
- hcg levels alone can not distinguish ectopic pregnancy from normal or abnormal intrauterine pregnancy
- inappropriate rising hcg signals an abnormal pregnancy but does not identify the location
- if hcg levels have not risen appropriately, we know its either a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy
- diagnosis
Locate the pregnancy
Transvaginal US
- should identify a viable intra-uterine pregnancy by 5.5 weeks gestation (hcg of more than 1500)
- transabdominal US should identify an intrauterine pregnancy when hcg > 6000
- –> if intrauterine pregnancy is not seen at these levels = likely ectopic
- signs of ectopic gestation = embryo, heart rate, sac with “ring of fire”
Uterine curettage (D and C)
- when pregnancy is clearly non-viable, but location is inconclusive, uterine curettage can help distinguish ectopic vs. uterine in case of abnormally rising hcg
- can also be done if pregnancy is undesired
Laparoscopy = gold standard
- invasive procedure –> insert probe through umbilicus to search for pregnancy
- hcg >1500 + no intrauterine sac in trans-vaginal US = diagnostic
- hcg <1500, active vaginal bleeding, no villi in D and C, less than minimal increase in hcg level = diganostic
Classic clinical triad = pain, bleeding + skipped menses
Ectopic pregnancy
- management
Surgical
- conservative –> linear salpingostomy unruptured ectopic
- salpingectomy
Medical = methotrexate
- folic acid antagonist
- inhibits DNA synthesis and cell reproduction, primarily in actively proliferating cells such as malignant cells, trophoblast, and fetal cells
- toxic to hepatocytes
- renal clearance
- prior to administration should check: serum creatinin, liver transaminases, CBC, type and screen
Follow up
- patient must be followed post therapy with serial hcg measurements to monitor complete regression of the pregnancy
- sucess rate depends on the initial hcg level, the size of the pregnancy and the presence of cardiac activity
Preterm labor
- overview
- risk factors
Preterm labor is the most common cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality
- only 12% of infants are borm prematurely, however they account for more than 50% of all perinatal morbidity and mortality in the US
- definition = regular uterine contractions causing cervical change before 37 weeks
Risk factors
- history of prior preterm birth –> RR=4
- multiple gestation –> RR=6
- bleeding in pregnancy –> RR=3
- uknown = 50% –> we don’t know what causes most preterm births, so we can’t prevent them
Preterm labor
- clinical symptoms
- menstrual like cramps
- low, dull backache
- abdominal or vaginal pressure
- abdominal cramping
- increase or change in vaginal discharge
- uterine contractions (can be painless)
Preterm labor
- differential dx
- preterm labor
- UTI
- vaginitis
- round ligament pain
- muscular pain
- broxton hicks contractions
Preterm labor
- physical exam/lab findings
Lab
- WBC count
- urinalysis and culture
- cervical culture
- vaginal wet prep –> vaginal infections
Preterm labor
- diagnosis
Regular uterine contraction
- > 6 contractions/hour
- moderate/severe intensity
Cervical change –> advancing effacement or dilation in serial exam
- cervical length –> short cervical length = higher risk of preterm birth
Fetal fibronectin –> a glycoprotein found in the ECM of the membranes of the amniotic sac
- presence in cervico-vaginal secretions between 22-34 weeks represents disruption of maternal-fetal interface
- low positive predictive value - if its there, we don’t know for sure that its preterm labor
- high negative predictive value - if its not there, we know that its not preterm labor
No one single modality has a good detection rate on its own
- uterine contractions = 18% sensitivity
- cervical length = 60% sensitivity
- FFN = 50% sensitivity
- combined cervical length + FFN = 71% sensitivity
- IL6 –> 82% sensitivity but have to perform an invasive, risky procedure to obtain measurement
Preterm labor
- management
Goal is to delay delivery until fetal lung maturity is attained, if possible
- IV hydration
- tocolysis –> give drugs to delay labor
- administration of steroids to promote lung maturity = 2 doses of betamethasone 24 hours apart –> helps fetal survival but does not prevent preterm birth
- neuroprotection –> mg sulfate
- antibiotics –> group B strep propylaxis
Effective
- steroids (bethametasone/dexamethason)
- progesterone –> prevents preterm birth if patient has a history of prior preterm birth
- neuroprotection with mg sulfate
Ineffective –> prolonged tocolysis (after 48 hours)
Tocolysis
Goal is to stop contractions until 24 hours after 2nd dose of steroids to obtain greatest lung maturity
Mg sulfate –> competes with ca for entry into cells
- often first line tx
- at high levels, can cause resp distress, pulm edema, cardiac depression
Nifedipine –> ca channel blocker
- prevents ca entry into muscle cells
Indomethacin –> pg synthetase inhibitor
- decrease pg by blocking conversion of free arachidonic acid to pg
- premature closure of ductus arteriosis with use after 32 weeks –> need to be careful
- decreased amnihotic fluid with prolonged use
- must use cautiously, and don’t use after 32 weeks
Contraindications to tocolysis
- evidence of intrauterine infection
- significant vaginal bleeding
- fetal distress
- no tocolysis after 34 weeks
- –> decreased risk of morbidiy/mortality from prematurity
- –> no role for betamethasone administration
PPROM = preterm rupture of membranes
Often iatrogenically caused or due to preterm labor
Diagnosis
- pooling –> water coming out of the cervix = 100% sensitive
- nitrazine –> pH testing to tell you whether its likely amniotic fluid
- ferning –> indicates presence of salt, telling you if its amniotic fluid