Antenatal Care 4 Flashcards
What is USS used for in the first trimester?
- exclusion of ectopic
- assess pregnancy viability
- detect retained products of conception after miscarriage
- estimate gestational age
- detect multiple pregnancy and chorionicity
- screen for chromosomal abnormalities
- diagnose structural abnormalities
What is USS used for in the second trimester?
- diagnose structural abnormalities
- screen chromosomal abnormalities
- aid amniocentesis or transfusion
- Doppler for fetal assessment or of uterine arteries
What is USS used for in the third trimester?
- assess fetal growth
- diagnose placenta praevia
- determine presentation in difficult cases
- Doppler for fetal assessment
What is the definition of maternal death?
death of woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of its cessation, from
any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management, but nor from accidental or incidental causes
What are the causes of maternal morbidity?
- Infection causing sepsis
- Venous thromboembolic disease
- Haemorrhage
- Hypertensive disorders
- Cardiac disease
- Ectopic pregnancy + abortion
- Neurological disease
- Psychiatric disease + suicide
What is the definition of a stillbirth?
fetus delivered at 24 completed weeks gestation showing no signs of life
What are the causes of perinatal mortality?
Unexplained antepartum stillbirth IUGR Prematurity Congenital anomalies Intrapartum stillbirth – mostly hypoxia, but also infection + inflammation, trauma + fetal exsanguination Antepartum haemorrhage Pre-eclampsia – preterm delivery + IUGR, and term
What are the two types of pregnancy induced HTN?
pre-eclampsia
gestational HTN
What is pre-eclampsia?
hypertension and proteinuria appear in second half of pregnancy, often with oedema
What is gestational hypertension?
new hypertension presenting after 20 weeks without proteinuria
What is pre-existing or chronic hypertension?
Present when BP >140/90mmHg before pregnancy or before 20 weeks’ gestation, or
woman already on antihypertensive medication
How common is HTN in pregnancy?
commonest complication
What are the risk factors for developing pre eclampsia?
Nulliparity Previous history FHx Older maternal age Chronic HTN Diabetes Twin preganancies Autoimmune disease Renal disease Obesity
What is the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia?
Stage 1 – before 20 weeks, no symptoms, trophoblastic invasion of spiral arterioles
incomplete (poss caused by altered immune responses) resulting in decreased
uteroplacental blood flow
- Stage 2 – ischaemic placenta induces exaggerated maternal inflammatory response,
induces widespread endothelial cell damage, causing vasoconstriction, increased
vascular permeability + clotting dysfunction
How does pre-eclampsia present?
HTN Proteinuria IUGR - reduced placental flow Eclampsia (occurrence of epileptiform seizures) - reduced cerebral perfusion