Adaptation at Birth Flashcards
List some of the various functions of the placenta.
- Foetal homeostasis
- Gas exchange
- Nutrient transport to foetus
- Waste product transport from foetus
- Acid base balance
- Hormone production
- Transport of IgG
What controls most of the homeostasis for the baby?
Placenta
The placenta is essentially another organ that develops inside the ______ during pregnancy to provide ______ and _________ to the baby and remove _____
- Uterus
- Nutrients
- Oxygen
- Waste
Where does the placenta attach to?
The walls of the uterus
What attaches the baby to the uterus?
Umbilical cord
What is it called when the placenta is misplaced as lies over the opening of the cervix?
Placenta praevia
In the late stages of pregnancy, amniotic fluid is swallowed by the baby and the amniotic fluid will eventually become most of the babies urine
True
There are 3 shunts in foetal circulation. Name these.
- Ductus venosus
- Foramen ovale
- Ductus arteriosus
Describe ductus venosus.
A vein passing through the liver and connecting the left umbilical vein with the IVC of the foetus, losing its circulatory function after birth, and persisting as the ligamentum venosum of the liver
Describe foramen ovale.
An opening in the septum between the two atria of the heart that is normally present only in the foetus
Describe ductus arteriosus.
Also called the ductus Botalli, is a blood vessel connecting the main pulmonary artery to the proximal descending aorta. It allows most of the blood from the right ventricle to bypass the foetus’s fluid-filled non-functioning lungs
Surfactant production + alveoli formation occurs at how many weeks?
36 weeks
When does preparation for birth occur (trimester)?
3rd trimester
What is there an accumulation of during the 3rd trimester (in preparation for birth)? Why?
Glycogen – liver, muscle, heart
When the baby is born it breaks down glycogen as a form of glucose as it is no longer receiving this from the mother
What is there an accumulation of during the 3rd trimester (in preparation for birth)?
Glycogen – liver, muscle, heart
Brown fat
SC fat
What is the accumulation of SC fat in preparation for birth important for?
This is important for maintaining foetal temperature after birth
Why is the swallowing of amniotic fluid in the 3rd trimester important for preparation for birth?
The amniotic fluid helps to mature the foetal GI tract
What is the accumulation of glycogen in preparation for birth important for?
When the baby is born it breaks down glycogen as a form of glucose as it is no longer receiving this from the mother
What hormones increase when the mother goes into labour?
Increase in catecholamines (e.g cortisol and adrenaline)
What colour is a baby in the first few seconds of life?
BLUE - but this is normal
What happens to the baby in the first few seconds following birth?
- BLUE
- Starts to breathe
- Cries
- Gradually goes pink
- Cord is cut
Why is it so important for the baby to cry?
Huge negative intrathoracic pressure – breath out crying against a closed glottis – pushes back against fluid in lungs to go into lung interstitial fluid to return back to the circulation
Try not to cut the cord at first (unless the baby needs RESUS). How long should you leave it for?
At least 1 minute
What duct closes initially during circulatory transition?
Foramen oval
