Bleeding in pregnancy Flashcards
What is ante-partum haemorrhage?
Bleeding from the genital tract after 24 weeks gestation
What are the causes for antepartum haemorrhage?
λ Placenta praevia λ Placental abruption λ Vasa praevia λ Uterine rupture λ Cervical causes - polyp / Ca / infection λ “Show” λ Other - haematuria / PR bleed λ Unknown (25-30%)
What is pacenta praevia?
λ Abnormally sited placenta - all or part of the placenta implants in the lower uterine segment
λ Placenta lies in front of the presenting part
How common is placenta praevia? what is this more common in?
λ 1% of pregnancies
λ More common in Multiparous, Multiple pregnancy, Previous CS
λ The incidence decreases after 20weeks to term as it ‘migrates’ up
How does placenta praevia present?
-what is seen on CTG?
¥ Small / large volume blood loss
¥ Amount of blood variable and you can have lots of blood in minor and little bood in major vice versa
¥ Painless/no contractions
¥ May have recurrent bleeding
¥ Everytime the uterus gets bigger, placenta separates slightly = recurrent bleeding
¥ ?Scan history
¥ Soft uterus - fetus easy to palpate
¥ High presenting part - head not engaged
¥ Malpresentation - Breech / Transverse Lie
¥ CTG - usually no fetal distress
How is placenta praevia diagnosed?
- Ultrasound – if find it low at 20wks do another scan at 32/34 wks
- DO NOT PERFORM VAGINAL EXAMINATION UNTIL P/P HAS BEEN EXCLUDED
What does delivery with placenta praevia depend on?
• Depends on distance from cervical os
What is placenta accreta?
This is when all or part of the placenta attaches abnormally to the myometrium. (it should be attached to decidua) Three grades of abnormal placental attachment are defined according to the depth of invasion.
What is placental abruption?
λ Premature separation of normally sited placenta
λ Revealed / Concealed - revealed is that bleeding is seen (80%)
λ The blood can go out onto the muscle, or into liquor, or out cervix
This can be due to polyhydramnios and when this ruptures quickly the placenta separates due to negative pressure
What 4 things can this lead to?
λ Couvelaire uterus
-Bleeding penetrates into the uterine myometrium forcing its way into the peritoneal cavity
λ Post partum Haemorrhage
λ DIC – disseminated intravascular coagulation
-The blood causes clotting factors to come and clot blood - Small blood clots form in the blood vessels. Some of these clots can clog the vessels and cut off blood supply to organs such as the liver, brain, or kidneys. Lack of blood flow can damage the organ and it may stop working properly.
λ Fetal death / Maternal death
What are the clinical features? what is seen on CTG?
λ Small or large volume blood loss
λ Painful
λ Uterine activity (contractions)
λ Signs may be inconsistent with revealed blood
λ Tense, tender uterus. Large for dates
λ the myometrium is a wooden hard consistency as blood causes spasm here
λ Difficult to feel fetal parts
λ CTG - may be poor (?Intra-uterine Death)
How is placental abruption diagnosed?
Don’t need US to diagnose abruption – it wont show a small abruption
• Clinical diagnosis
• Still do US to rule out P/P
What would be thought of if volume of blood was small, no pain and no contraction, uterus soft non tender, fetus is normal presentation and no fetal distress?
-local causes
What is vasa praevia?
A condition in which blood vessels within the placenta or the umbilical cord are trapped between the fetus and the opening to the birth canal
What is uterine rupture? when is this most likely to happen?
• There’s a weakness in the muscle and uterus ruptures
Usually during labour as there’re lots of contractions
Describe the clinical features of uterine rupture
λ Small / Large volume λ Previous CS / uterine surgery λ Obstructed Labour λ Peritonism λ Fetal head high λ Fetal distress / IUD λ Haematuria λ Requires laparotomy / CS
What is important to ask in the history of a patient who has bleeding in pregnancy?
λ Bleeding λ Pain – abruption? λ Contractions – in labour? λ Fetal movements λ Post-coital? λ Smear history λ Scan history – detect P/P λ Anybody who bleeds after 12 weeks who is rhesus negative gets anti-D λ 250 units < 20wks, 500units > 20wks
What is included in the examination of someone who has bleeding in pregnancy?
¥ ABCDE ¥ Assess volume of APH ¥ Fundal height ¥ Uterine tenderness ¥ Uterine activity ¥ Fetal lie and presentation ¥ Auscultation of Fetal Heart / CTG
DONT DO VAGINAL EXAM BEFORE SCAN
What is the initial management of bleeding in pregnancy?
λ IV Access λ Full Blood Count λ Coagulation Screen λ Rhesus status - Kleihauer + Anti-D λ Group and Save / Cross match 2-6 units λ IV Fluids λ CTG λ Ultrasound λ Speculum when P/P excluded λ Consider Steroids – for fetal lung maturation
Steroids for fetal lung maturation:
- what do these promote?
- when are these administered up to?
- what steroids are given?
λ Promote fetal lung surfactant production
λ ↓ neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) by up to 50% if administered 24-48h before delivery
λ Administer up to 36 weeks. Only significant effects up to 34 weeks. Proven benefit up to 1 week
λ Betamethasone preferred to Dexamethasone
λ 1 course = 12mg Betamethasone IM X2 injections 12 hours apart
When is C-section performed with placenta praevia?
38 weeks - sooner if signif. haemorrhage
When is delivery commenced with placental abruption?
Delivery viable baby - c sec. vs vagina;
-still birth do vaginal
What is the further management for bleeding due to:
- cervical causes
- infection
- pre-term labour
- vasa praevia
- rupture
- unknown
λ Cervical causes - colposcopy λ Infection - swabs / specific treatment λ PTL - steroids +/- tocolysis λ Vasa praevia - Caesarean section λ Rupture - laparotomy / CS Unknown - conservative
What are the complications of post-partum haemorrhage 9
Maternal fatigue, feeding difficulties, prolonged hospital stay, delayed lactation, pituitary infarction, transfusion, haemorrhagic shock, DIC, death
