antenatal care Flashcards
how might a woman with pulmonary hypertension have a child?
surrogacy
what ix should a GP order in a woman who is planning on becoming pregnant?
rubella ab, varicella ab, pap smear (any abnormal cells, treated BEFORE pregnancy)
blood group and rhesus/kell antibody status
what is the most accurate way of dating gestational age?
ultrasound, generally the first trimester u/s
How might we confirm pregnancy?
Hx: missed period, urinary frequency, nausea, breast tenderness
Ex: uterine enlargement?
Ix: Serum BHCG (100% reliable) or Urinary HCG (cross reacts with LH, but false positives and false negative)
you order MCV for a women in first antenatal visit. what are you worried about?
thalassemia
test for thalassemia minor in the partner
2 x thalassaemia minor
1/4 chance thal major in child
what is the most teratogenic epileptic drug?
sodium valproate
when should a mother begin to detect fetal movements?
after 20 weeks
What are some pre-pregnancy behavioural advice you can give a woman who wishes to become pregnant?
behavioural advice–> avoid teratogens,
folate 500mcg for three months to prevent neural tube defects–> up to 6 weeks post conception
(5mg folate for FMH of neural tube defects, anticonvulsants, diabetes)
Vitamin D, iodine, iron
Avoid smoking, alcohol etc drugs, social history,
Pap smear up to date?
Serology (rubella/varicella)–> check immune status and if not immune administer vaccination and wait 3 months prior to pregnancy
Recommend intercourse every 48hrs in the week leading up to ovulation (mid-cycle) 5 days before and 5 days after ovulation have sex every 2nd day
Hand hygiene/listeria
how might we confirm pregnancy?
Hx: missed period, urinary frequency, nausea, breast tenderness
Ex: uterine enlargement?
Ix: Serum BHCG (100% reliable) or Urinary HCG (cross reacts with LH, but false positives and false negative)
for what medical conditions should we advise AGAINST getting pregnant?
Prognostic advice:
renal insufficiency (Creatinine >0.3 = bad outcome)
pulmonary hypertension (–> heart failure, 50% mortality)
what medical conditions should we screen for in subsequent antenatal visits?
Preeclampsia- HT, proteinuria and oedema
Placental insufficiency (poor fetal movements and poor growth around 19 wks)
what ix do we do at 28 and 36 weeks gestation?
28 weeks= FBE, OGTT, +/- Rh ab level and anti D administration if Rh Neg (15% of women)
36 weeks= FBE (if Hb low in 28 weeks), GBS swab ( high vaginal swab), anti-D administration if Rh neg
what are some routine examinations we perform at antenatal visits?
BP, fundal height (symphysis pubis to top of the uterus, serial measurements), weight gain, Lie, Presentation, Station, foetal heart auscultation (pick up an arrhythmia),
Urinalysis (test for protein! Every woman must have this done at each visit).
What are some ix we need to perform at the first antenatal visit and why?
FBE= looking for anaemia and thalassemia (think thalassemia minor causing low MCV)
Varicella ab- if not and exposed to VZV, need to administer hyperimmune VZIG
Hep B= immunisation and Ig at birth for neonate
Hep C= avoid invasive procedures
HIV= reduce risk of vertical transmission
Syphillis- intrapartum penicillin
MSU- 6% of women have asymptomatic bacteriuria–> 1/3 will develop pyelonephritis
Pap smear- treat before pregnancy
what is some general advice that we give to women on their first antenatal visit?
Diet- advise about Listeria (anything frozen needs to properly thawed eg frozen chicken; avoid mayonaisse; soft serve icecream) and nutrition (protein, avoid junk food, low GI foods etc)
Mineral and vitamin supplementation- (Vegetarian- Fe; dark skinned or heavily covered- ca2+ and vit D; folate –>MTHFR mutation (thrombophilia); iodine in multivitamin)
Exercise- strenuous exercise is not good but moderate exercise is good
-avoid Smoking
Alcohol- avoid > 2 standard drinks as day
Sex- no harm demonstrated
Working- most cease work around 34 weeks
Medication- Paracetamol (?hyperactivity); penicillins; etc
what is naegele’s rule?
Naegele’s rule is used to calculate the estimated delivery date (EDD).
First day of LMP + 9 months and 7 days= EDD
Adjust for variable cycles (follicular stage may be short or long but luteal phase constant)
what do we mean by CRL and BPD in antenatal dating ultrasounds?
CRL= crown rump length of embryo on ultrasound. For less than 12 weeks gestation, CRL guides EDD.
BPD= biparietal diameter for the fetal head. For > than 12 weeks gestation, BPD guides EDD
For greater than 20 weeks gestation, both CRL and BPD on ultrasound is very inaccurate for estimating delivery date
when should a pregnant woman see her healthcare provider weekly?
> 36 weeks gestation
when should a pregnant woman see her healthcare provider fortnightly?
28-36 weeks gestation
fundal height at the umbilicus generally indicates which gestation week?
20 weeks of gestation
at 12 weeks of gestation, where should the fundal height be?
at the pubic symphysis
what are the 4 Ms of diabetes mellitus related poor pregnancy outcomes?
Malformation
Miscarriage
Mortality
Macrosomia
when should nuchal translucency be measured?
11-13 weeks gestation
what is the relationship between nuchal translucency and down’s syndrome?
increased diameter of nuchal translucency–> more likely that the child has T21.
which antenatal u/s scan is the most important?
the one performed at around 20 weeks gestation as it is most sensitive at picking up congenital defects etc
what can a quantitative measurement of bHCG tell us about a pregnancy?
bHCG levels should DOUBLE every 48 hours in a normal pregnancy from week 4-8. Falling levels indicate non-progression of the pregnancy
what is the definition of hyperemesis gravidarum?
persistent vomiting accompanied by weight loss > 5%, dehydration and ketouria
diagnosis of exclusion
at what gestation period do we normally see hyperemesis gravidarum
up to 10 weeks gestation