Chapters 19 & 21 Flashcards
acoustic stimulation test
Antepartum test to elicit fetal heart rate response to sound; performed by applying sound source (laryngeal stimulator) to the maternal abdomen over the fetal head.
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
Fetal antigen; elevated levels in amniotic fluid and maternal blood are associated with neural tube defects
amniocentesis
procedure in which a needle is inserted through the abdominal and uterine walls to obtain amniotic fluid; used for assessment of fetal health and maturity.
amniotic fluid index (AFI)
Estimation of amount of amniotic fluid by means of ultrasound to determine excess or decrease.
biophysical profile (BPP)
Noninvasive assessment of the fetus and its environment using ultrasonography and fetal monitoring; includes fetal breathing movements, gross body movements, fetal tone, reactive fetal heart rate, and qualitative amniotic fluid volume
chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Removal of fetal tissue from the placenta for genetic diagnostic studies.
contraction stress test (CST) (also called oxytocin challenge test (OCT)
Test to stimulate uterine contractions for the purpose of assessing fetal response; a healthy fetus does not react to contractions, whereas a compromised fetus demonstrates late decelerations in the fetal heart rate that are indicative of uteroplacental insufficiency.
daily fetal movement count (DFMC)
Maternal assessment of fetal activity; the number of fetal movements within a specified time are counted; also called “kick count”
Doppler blood flow analysis
use of ultrasound for noninvasive measurement of blood flow in the fetus and placenta.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Noninvaseive nuclear procedure for imaging tissues with high fat and water content; in obstetrics, uses include evaluation of fetal structures, placenta, and amniotic fluid.
nonstress stest (NST)
evaluation of fetal response (fetal heart rate) to natural contractile uterine activity or to an increase in fetal activity
percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS)
AKA cordocentesis
procedure during which a fetal umbilical vessel is accessed for blood sampling or for transfusions
uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI)
Decline in placental function (exchange of gases, nutrients, and wastes) leading to fetal hypoxia and acidosis; evidenced by late decelerations of the fetal heart rate in response to uterine contractions.
abruptio placentae
partial or complete prematures separation of a normally implanted placenta
cerclage
use of nonabsorbable suture to keep a premature dilating cervix closed; usually removed when pregnancy is at term
cervical funneling
effacement of the internal cervical os
chronic hypertension
systolic pressure of 140 mmHg or higher or diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg of higher that is present preconceptionally or occurs before 20 weeks of gestation and/or is persistent after 6 weeks postpartum
clonus
spasmodic alternation of muscular contraction and relaxation; counted in beats
couvelaire uterus
interstitial myometrial hemorrhage after premature separation (abruption) of placenta; purplish-blue discoloration of the uterus is noted.
disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
Pathologic form of coagulation in which clotting factors are consumed to such an extent that generalized bleeding can occur; associated with abruptio placentae, eclampsia, intrauterine fetal demise, amniotic fluid embolism, and hemorrhage.
eclampsia
severe complication of pregnancy of unknown cause and occurring more often in the primigravida than in multiparous women characterized by new-onset grand mal seizures in a woman with preeclampsia occurring during pregnancy or shortly after birth.
ectopic pregnancy
implantation of the fertilized ovum outside of the uterine cavity; locations include the uterine tubes, ovaries, and abdomen.
gestational hypertension
the new onset of hypertension without proteinuria after week 20 of pregnancy
HELLP syndrome
A laboratory diagnosis for a variant of severe preeclampsia that incolces hepatic dysfunction, characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enxymes, and low platelet count
hydatidiform mole (molar pregnancy)
gestational trophoblastic neoplasm usually resulting from fertilization of an egg that has no nucleus or an inactivated nucleus.
hyperemesis gravidarum
abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by protracted vomiting, weight loss, and fluids and electrolyte imbalance.
miscarriage
loss of pregnancy that occurs naturally without interference or known cause; also called spontaneous abortion.
placenta previa
placenta that is abnormally implanted in the thin, lower uterine segment. The condition is further classified as complete placenta previa, marginal placenta previa, or low-lying placenta according to gestational age and placental location in relation to the internal cervical os.
preeclampsia
disease encountered after 20 weeks of gestation or early in the puerperium; a vasospastic disease process characterized by hypertension and proteinuria.
premature dilation of the cervix
cervix that is unable to remain closed until a pregnancy reaches term because of a mechanical defect in the cervix; also called incompetent cervix
superimposed preeclampsia
new-onset proteinuria in a woman with hypertension before 20 weeks for gestation, sudden increase in proteinuria if already present in early gestation, sudden increase in hypertension, or the development of HELLP syndrome
TORCH infections
infections caused by organisms that damage the embryo or fetus; acronym for toxoplasmosis, other (e.g., syphilis), rubella, cytomegalocirus, and herpes simplex virus.
Risk Factors for Polyhydramnios
- Diabetes mellitus
- Fetal congenital anomalies
Risk Factors for IUGR
- Maternal Causes: Hypertensive disorders, diabetes, chronic renal disease, collagen vascular disease, thrombophilis, cyanotic heart disease, poor weight gain, smoking, alcohol/drug use, living at high altitude, multiple gestation.
- Fetoplacental causes: chromosomal abnormalities, congenital malformations, intrauterine infection, genetic syndromes, abnormalplacental development.
Risk factors for Oligohydramnios
- renal agenesis (potter syndrome)
- PROM
- Prolonged pregnancy
- Uteroplacental insufficiency
- Maternal hypertensive disorders
Risk factors for chromosomal abnormalities
- maternal age 35 years or older
- balanced translocation (maternal and paternal)
Common maternal and fetal indications for antepartum testing.
- Diabetes
- Chronic hypertension
- preeclampsia
- fetal growth restriction
- multiple gestation
- oligohydramnios
- preterm PROM
- postdate or postterm gestation
- previous still birth
- decreased fetal movement
- systemic lupus erythematosus
- renal disease
- cholestasis of pregnancy
Fetal alarm signal
fetal movements cease entirely for 12 hours. A kick count lower than 3 movements an hour warrants further evaluation
Indications for standard ultrasonography
detect fetal viability, determine presentation of fetus, assess gestational age, locate the placenta,examine the fetal structure for anomalies, and determine amniotic fluid volume
Limited examination ultrasound indications
ID fetal presentation during labor or evaluating FHR activity when its not detected by other methods
Specialized or target examinations indications
woman is suspected of carrying ananatomically or physiologically abnormal fetus
Indications for comprehensive ultrasound
abnormal clinical exam, polyhytramnios, oligohydramnios, elevated AFP, history of offspring with anomalies
When can Fetal heart activity first be seen and heard?
as early as 6-7 weeks by Echo scanners, and 10-12 weeks by doppler
nuchal translucency
screening tool using ultrasound measurement of fluid in the nap of the fetal neck between 10 and 14 weeks of gestation to ID possible fetal abnormalities. Fluid greater than 3mm is considered abnormal
What does an elevated NT (nuchal translucency) indicate.
Increased risk of fetal cardiac disease. Genetic testing is recommended.
When combined with a low maternal serum marker, increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities occurs (trisomy 13,18,21)
Placenta previa diagnosed during 2nd trimester. (facts)
more than 90% of cases diagnosed during the 2nd trimester will have resolved by term, primarily because of elongation of the lower uterine segment.
Calculating AFI
Take the largest pocket of amniotic fluid in each quadrant and measure their vertical depth in cm and add all 4 together.
Normal AFI
10 cm or greater, with the upper range of normal around 25 cm
Low normal AFI
5 - 10 cm
Oligohydramnios
AFI less than 5 cm
Associated with congenital anomalies (renal agenesis), grown restriction, and fetal distress during labor
Polyhydramnios
AFI >25 cm
associated with neural tube defects, obstruction of the fetal gastrointestinal tract, multiple fetuses, and fetal hydrops.
Biophysical profile scoring categories
Fetal breathing movements Gross body movement Fetal tone Reactive fetal heart rate Qualitative amniotic fluid volume