Antenatal Care Flashcards
How do we diagnose a patient to be pregnant?
- Amenorrhea
- Breast tenderness
- Urinary frequency
- Morning sickness due to increased HCG
What confirmatory tests can we do to detect pregnancy?
- Two positive pregnancy tests
Which will measure the urine BHCg level
What is the goal of the first antenatal visit?
- Detailed History
- Examination
- Special Investigations
- Establish duration of pregnancy
- Risk grading
What is the most important questions to ask on history?
- Detailed history about previous pregnancies
- Detailed history about current pregnancy
- History about medical or surgical procedures
- Any medication and allergies(could be teratogenic to the baby)
- Smoking and alcohol consumption
- Family history
- Social hx-marital status, living circumstances
What does gravidity mean?
The number of previous pregnancies plus the current one including miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies
-if the mom has a previous multiple pregnancy it is still regarded as a one
What does parity mean?
The number of previous fetuses that reached viability (6 months, 22 weeks or a weight of 500mg)
- this also includes stillbirths and multiple pregnancies
- so if there were twins then it is known as para 2
What does grand parity mean?
It means that there were 5 or more pregnancies that reached viability
So grava 6, para 5
What causes miscarriages consecutively and successively in the first trimester?
Some genetic abnormality in either the mother of father
What causes miscarriages in the mid-trimester?
Chorioamnionitis, syphillis or cervical incompetence
What does do we need to ask about previous obstetric pregnancy?
- Gravidity and parity
- Ectopic and miscarriages
- The year of delivery and duration of pregnancy
- The method of delivery
- Gender of the baby
- The birth weight of the baby
- Was the baby born alive or dead
What do we need to ask the patient regarding a c/s?
- What the indications of the c/s were
- Type of c/s-vertical or transverse
- All other complications
What pregnancy complications tend to recur in other pregnancies?
- Preterm labour
- Early severe Pre-eclampsia
- Post-partum haemorrhage
- Abruptio placentae
- Perinatal deaths
What is the most important history you need to ascertain about the current history?
- The first day of the last menstrual period
- Any medical problems since pregnancy started(UTI, bleeding )
- Irritating complaints such as nausea and vomiting, heartburn constipation and oedema of the feet
- Whether it is a planned pregnancy
- Contraception after pregnancy
Which drugs are teratogenic in the 1st trimester?
Retinoids for acne
Which drugs are teratogenic at term?
Warfarin
What kind of care do patients with a BMI of >40 require?
Intermediate care
What kind of care do patients with a BMI of >50 get?
High risk care
What are the 4 main things you would have to prepare for if the patient has a high BMI?
- Hypertension and Diabetes
- Shoulder dystocia because of a big baby
- Cephalo-pelvic disproportion
- Intra-uterine growth restriction
What is the approach to an obstetric plan?
- Start with the general appearance of the patient-does the patient look well/unwell
- Do JACCOLD
- Determine the BMI of the patient-regarding their height and weight
- Examine the thyroid (can be slightly enlarged during pregnancy)
- Examine the breasts(any lumps or nipple discharge)
- Resp and cardio exam
- Abdominal exam(any abnormal masses or organomegaly)
- Internal and external genital exam: vaginal speculum exam and papsmear and bimanual examination
When should we be worried about a thyroid on examination?
If the thyroid is enlarged and nodular or has a single lump on it
What kind of murmurs are often normal in pregnant women?
- mid-systolic, grade 2/6
- ejection characteristic and usually in the parasternal areas(either aortic or mitral)