Antepartum Haemorrhage Flashcards
What is an antepartum haemorrhage?
Bleeding from the genital tract between 24 weeks gestation and delivery delivery of the foetus
What are the main 2 causes of antepartum haemorrhage?
Placenta praevia
Placental abruption
What are the main risk factors of an antepartum haemorrhage?
Multiparous women
Multiple pregnancies
Previous caesarean section
How is antepartum haemorrhage diagnosed if caused by placenta praevia?
Abdominal ultrasound
How is antepartum haemorrhage diagnosed if it is caused by placental abruption?
Clinically
Why is a vaginal examination avoided in the diagnosis of antepartum haemorrhage?
It can exacerbate the bleeding in placenta praevia
What would you use to monitor the baby in an antepartum haemorrhage?
Cardiotocography
If the bleeding was painful, what would this suggest?
Placental abruption
If the bleeding starts light and gets heavier, what would this suggest?
Placenta praevia
If the uterus is hard, painful and woody, what would this suggest?
Placental abruption
If there are constant contractions, what would this suggest?
Placental abruption
In which instance would the degree of blood loss correlate to the degree of shock?
Placenta praevia
If the fetal lie was normal but the heart was abnormal, what would this suggest?
Placental abruption
If the fetal lie was abnormal but the heart was normal, what would this suggest?
Placenta praevia
If there were coagulation problems, what would this suggest?
Placental abruption
