Class 4: Uncomplicated Labour and Birth Part 1 Flashcards
what is considered pretern
<37 weeks gestations
what is considered postterm
equal to or >42 weeks gestation
define: labour
- the process of moving the fetus, placenta, and membranes out of the uterus and thru the birth canal
what influences duration of labour (7)
- parity
- maternal emotions
- position
- lvl of activity
- fetal size
- presentation
- position
what is parity? how does this impact labour?
- number of pregnancies
- labor process is faster if have had more than one vaginal birth
how might maternal emotions impact labor
- stress, anxiety, and fear cause tightness = labor may take longer
labour includes.. (3)
- regular progression of uterine contractions
- effacement and progressive dilation of the cervix
- descent of the presenting part
what is the most important factor in labor management
- diagnoses of the active phase of 1st stage of labor
what change occurs to the cervix in the days/weeks prior to labor to prepare for birth? why?
- cervix begins to soften = cervical ripening
- associated w number of hormonal shifts which are imp instigators of the labour process
what changes occur r/t bleeding in the days/weeks prior to labor to prepare for birth?
- as the cervix changes, the mucus plug loosens and may be expelled fro the vagina
- this is normal, not considered antepartum bleeding
what changes occur to the presenting part in the days/weeks prior to labor to prepare for birth?
- lightening = presenting part descends into true pelvis
what contractions occur in the days/weeks prior to labor to prepare for birth?
- braxton hicks contractions
what are braxton hick contractions
- tightening, very uncomfortable contractions in your abdomen that comes and goes
what impact do braxton hicks contractions have on the cervix
- do not dilate the cervix, just part of the preparation process
what changes occur to energy occur in the days/weeks prior to labor to prepare for birth?
- nesting –> surge in energy
the onset of labor is likely due to a combo of (3)
- fetal hormones
- birther hormones
- progressive uterine distension and increased uterine pressure = irritability of muscle layer
what is the hormone of labor
- oxytocin
what is oxytocin produced by
- the posterior pituitary gland
what role does oxytocin have in labour (3)
- supports the onset of labour contractions
- stimulates uterine contracions
- aids in milk let-down
synthetic oxytocin (syntocinon) may be administered for a variety of indications such as (3)
- to induce labour contractions
- to augment labour contractions
- to support uterine contractions to control post partum bleeding from the placental site
how does oxytocin play a role in supporting uterine contractions to control postpartum bleeding from the placental site
- stops hemorrhage by pinching blood vessels which are open after birth of placenta
dosage of syntocinon depends on.. the dosage for induction/augmentation is greater or less than for postpartum bleeding?
- the timing and purpose of admin
ex. dosing for induction/augmentation is FAR less then for postpartum bleeding
what route is used for admin of syntocinon? what determines this?
- IM or IV
- depends on timing, purpose
is IV or IM syntocinon used for induction/augmentation? postpoartum bleeding?
- induction/augmenation = IV
- post partum bleeding = IM or IV
what is important to note w syntocinon
- syntocinon for induction/augmentation of labour is considered a hazardous med
why is synthetic oxytocin considered a hazardous med for induction/augmentation of labour
- do not want contractions increased too much d/t risk of decreased gas exchange to fetus
describe contractions in true labour (5)
- occur regularly
- increasing in strength, length, and freq
- become more intense w walking
- lower back –> radiating to lower abdomen
- continue despite walking/activity/comfort measures
describe contractions in pre-labour (3)
- irregularly or occur only temporary
- often cease w walking/activity/position changes/other comfort measures (may help w pain but they wont stop)
- contraction experienced in back and upper abdomen
describe the cervic in true labour (3)
- progressive change is evident –> softens, effaces, dilates
- often results in bloody show
- moves anteriorly
describe the cervix in pre-labour (2)
- might be soft, but no significant change in effacement or dilation or bloody show
- likely in more posterior position
what is important if it pre-labor and not in true labor?
- can be very discouraging –> imp to validate feelings
describe what discharge teaching can be given if comes in w pre-labour (6)
when to return to hospital:
- contractions every 5 min for at least 1 hr
- contractions increasing regularity, freq, duration, and intensity
- a gush of fluid from the vagina –> rupture of membranes
- vaginal bleeding
- decreased fetal mvmt
- other concerns/feeling unwell
how many stages of labor are there
- 4
when does the 1st stage of labour and birth start and end?
- start of regular uterine contractions (start of true labour) until complete cervical effacement and dilation
describe the length of the 1st stage of L&D
- typically the longest stage
the 1st stage of L&D typically includes 2 phases, what are they?
- latent/early phase
- active phase
when does the 2nd stage of L&D start and end?
- start with complete cervical effacement & dilation
- ends w birth of newborn
when does the 3rd stage of L&D start and end
- start: from birth of newborn
- end: when placenta is expelled
when does the 4th stage of L&D occur
first 1-2 hrs after placenta is expelled (due to risk of bleeding)
what factors affect L&D (5)
- passageway (birth canal)
- passenger (primarily fetus, also placenta)
- powers (primary and secondary)
- position (birther)
- psychological response
what 3 parts of the passenger affect L&D
- presentation
- position
- station
what does nulliparous mean
- a person who has never given birth
what does multiparous mean
- Having given birth two or more times
the passageway includes: (5)
- bony pelvis
- soft tissues of the cervix of pregnant person
- pelvic floor
- vagina
- introitus (external opening of vagina)
what is imp to note regarding the passenger?
- the fetus relationship to the passageway is the major factor in the birthing process
what terms are used to describe the relationship of the fetus to the passageway? (5)
- fetal lie
- fetal presentation
- fetal attitude
- fetal position
- fetal station
define: fetal lie
- relationship between the long axis (spine) of the fetus w respect to the long axis of the mother
what 3 terms can be used to describe fetal lie
- longitudinal
- transverse (perpendicular)
- oblique (diagonal)
define: fetal presentation
- part of fetus that enters pelvis first (typically cephalic/head)
define: fetal attitude
- relationship of fetal body parts to each other (typically flexed)
define: fetal position
- relationship of the fetal presenting part (usually head) to a specific quadrant of a pregnant person’s pelvis
what are the 4 quadrants of the pregnant person’s pelvis
- right anterior
- left anterior
- right posterios
- lef tposterior
what are the 4 fetal landmarks for fetal position
- occiput
- mentum
- sacrum
- acromion
what is occiput
- vertex presentation = head presenting first
- ‘O’
what is the fetal position “mentum”
- aka chin
- face presentation
- ‘M’
what is the sacrum fetal position
- breech presentation (bum first)
- ‘S’
what is the acromion fetal position
- aka scapula
- shoulder presentation
- ‘Sc’
define: fetal station
- position of the presenting part relative to the lower bone of pelvis called the ischial spines
- how far the fetus has descended into the pelvis
fetal position is abbreviated by 3 letters. what does each stand for?
- indicates whether the landmark is facing the mother’s left or right –> R for right or L for left
- indicates fetal landmark –> ex. S for sacrum
- indicates whether the landmark points anteriorly, posteriorly, or transverse –> A, P, or T
what are powers?
- include both the involuntary and voluntary powers which together expel the fetus and placenta from the uterus
what are primary powers
- involuntary uterine contractions
primary powers are discussed in terms of: (4)
- frequency (in min)
- duration (in sec)
- intensity (weak, mod, strong)
- resting tone
primary powers are responsible for: (3)
- dilation of the cervix
- effacement of the cervix
- descent of the fetus
what are secondary powers
- bearing down efforts
- pushing down by the birther
- what are secondary powers responsible for
- support the expulsion of the fetus and placenta
the mechanisms of labor refer to?
- the movements and adjustments made by the fetus during the 1st and 2nd stages of labor
- how the passenger navigates the passageway, facilitated by the primary & secondary powers, and supported by fetal positioning, positioning of birth, and psychological response of the birther
what are the 7 cardinal movements of labour
- engagement
- descent
- flexion
- internal rotation
- extension
- external rotation
- birth
describe the cardinal movement: engagement
- when the biparietal diameter of the head passes the pelvic inlet
describe the cardinal movement: descent
- progress of the presenting part thru the pelvis
describe the cardinal movement: flexion
- fetal head flexes so that the chin is brought to the chest as it meets resistance from the cervix, plevis, or pelvic floor
- reduces fetal head diameter
describe the cardinal movement: internal rotation
- rotation of the presenting part from its original position (usually transverse, head looking to side), to the anterior position as it passes thru the bony pelvis
describe the cardinal movement: extension
- the presenting part rotates under the symphysis pubis
- the presenting part has now passed out of the birth canal and is now at the perineum and crowning
describe the cardinal movement: external rotation
- aka, restitution
1. the occiput and spine assume the same position, head rotates to the position it was in when engaged in the inlet
2. the shoulders rotate internally to fit the pelvic oulet (midline, anterior-posterior position), which causes further visible external rotation of the head
3. shoulders are birth when anterior shoulder is guided under the pubic arch, then the posterior shoulder
describe the cardinal movement:birth
- aka expulsion
- the head and shoulders are lifted up toward the birther’ s pubic bone and the trunk & rest of the body is born (flexed laterally in the direction of the symphysis pubis = birth
how long is the first stage of labor
- from the time the cervix begins to dilate until full dilation at 10 cm
- can last 1-18 hours
early/latent labour: how much is the cervix dilated? effacement? onset?
- cervix goes from closed to 3cm dilated
- effacement <1cm or 75% effaced
- exact onset difficult to determine
active labour: dilation?contractions?
- from 4 cm to full dilation (nulliparous people)/4-5 cm (multiparous people)
- contractions more intense and frequent
once active labor has begun, the cervix should dilate how much and how often?
- 1cm/hour
describe what is included in initial nursing assessment in triage(14)
- what brings them into the hospital today
- if in labour, start of contractions, contraction freq, intensity, length, persistent
- status of rupture of membrane –> intact? ruptured? timing? clarity of fluid?
- fetal mvmt?
- any bleeding?
- name/age/pronouns
- allergies
- prenatal info
- any issues w previous anaesthesia
- surgery before?
- birth plan
- height and weight
- VS
- obstetrical assessment (if labour is presenting concern)
what info is important to collect regarding prenatal info during initial nursing assessment (8)
- obsterical hx
- prenatal hx
- EDD
- social hx
- gestational age
- any complications?
- blood/labwork from current pregnancy –> hgb, Rh, GBG status,
- location of placenta
what is included in the obstetrical assessment for initial nursing assessment, if assuming labor is presenting concern (6)
- leopold’s maneuvers (abdominal palpation) –> fetal position and presentation
- contractions (uterine activity)
- HFR
- if rupture of membranes –> usually confirmed by nitrazine or ferning test
- vaginal exam
- specific assessments of complications (HDP, GDM)
what is included in vaginal exam of an obstetrical assessment (4)
- cervical effacement and dilation
- fetal presentation
- position
- station
describe the procedure to perform leopold’s maneuver (5)
- wash hands
- empty bladder
- supine position, knees slightly flexed, slight R or L tilt
- 4 maneuvers
- document
what is the focus of nursing assessment in the 1st stage of labor
- monitor progress
describe what is included in nursing assessment in the 1st stage of labor (10)
- birther VS
- leopold’s maneuver
- HFR and pattern
- uterine activity
- vaginal show/amniotic fluid if membranes have ruptured/status of membranes
- progress in labor –> vaginal exams as needed
- assess pain and coping
- oral intake/elimination
- lab tests as required
- birther overall status