cOGText: Antenatal care Flashcards
- what should be given in the preconceptual period to reduce risk of neural tube defects?
- which individuals will need to continue taking folic acid, 5mg daily from 12 weeks?
- T/F: Iron supplementation is not offered routinely.
- Women can be given 10mg of vitamin __ supplements during the pregnancy to be continued when breastfeeding.
- They are encouraged to maintain a balanced diet with only an extra ___ calories in the last trimester.
- Folic acid 400mcg from before conception - 12 weeks gestation
- those with diabetes, on anti-epileptic meds, BMI>30, previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, PMH (inc partner) of neural tube defect
- true
- D
- 250-300
how are the demographics of pregnant women changing?
- having children later in life.
- increase in same-sex marriages - increased use of assisted conception.
- advances in healthcare - now common for women with serious medical conditions to conceive
- 50% of women of child-bearing age in the UK are either overweight or obese.
what is the safe limit on alcohol consumption in pregnant women?
there is no safe limit because of the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (learning and behavioural problems, poor growth and facial abnormalities)
- Why are women advised to avoid smoking during pregnancy?
- What can be used to help her stop?
- may affect the fetus’ development leading to increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight and prematurity.
- Nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges). NB: bupropion and varenicline are contraindicated in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Effect of cocaine, amphetamines and ecstasy in pregnancy?
- Maternal: hypertensive disorders including pre-eclampsia, placental abruption, death via stroke and arrhythmias.
- Fetal: prematurity, neonatal abstinence syndrome , teratogenicity, IUGR, pre-term labour, miscarriage, developmental delay, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), withdrawal
Effect of opiates e.g. Heroin in pregnancy?
Risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome, IUGR, SIDS, stillbirth and maternal deaths.
Effect of Cannabis consumption in pregnancy?
- Cognitive deficits
- miscarriage
- fetal growth restriction
Effect of nicotine in pregnancy?
- Increased risk of miscarriage
- Increased risk of pre-term labour and intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR)
- Increased risk of still-birth, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
- Increased risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy
Effect of alcohol consumption in pregnancy?
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (characteristic faces – smooth philtrum, thin vermillion, small palpebral fissures)
- IUGR and postnatal restricted growth
- Learning difficulties
- Risk of miscarriage
- Withdrawal
- Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome
- Microcephaly
Important points to consider in the Management of substance abuse in antenatal care?
- Consider methadone programme – to avoid chaotic lifestyle
- Child protection and social work referral
- Smear screening programme
- Breastfeeding education
- Labour plan regarding analgesia and labour ward delivery
- Early IV access
- Postnatal contraception plan – start as soon as possible after birth so in place when woman is discharged from hospital.
Can HIV+ women in the UK breastfeed?
- women who test +ve for HIV are encouraged to formula feed.
- breastfeeding can be supported in women with low titre levels who understand the transmission risk
at how many weeks if the ‘booking visit’ carried out (the first appointment a woman will get once she finds out she’s pregnanct
ideally at 10-12 weeks by a community midwife (refer to obstetrician if any risk factors identified)
Which information is gathered and which tests are conducted in a booking visit? (10-12 weeks)
- A history: inc. medical, drug, social and family history. Date of last menstrual period, whether the pregnancy was planned and ethnicity of parents [to identify risk factors for developing haemoglobinopathies like sickle cell anaemia or beta thalassemia].
- Obstetric history: previous pregnancy, mode of delivery, previous miscarriages/ terminations.
- Tests: mother’s blood group, Hb, screened for haemoglobinopathies and infections e.g. HIV/AIDs, syphilis, hepatitis B and C.
screening for which genetic abnormality is offered at the booking scan?
Down syndrome screening (DSS) - 50% of babies born with Down syndrome will have a normal anomaly scan.
What is screened for at the 20 week scan (anomaly scan)?
Structural abnormalities (using ultrasound) and placentation site
Screening for Down’s syndrome
- The first stage of testing is done at 11+0 and 13+6 weeks gestation and is called the ____ test.
- It involves a ___ test and an ____ scan.
- What does the USS look at?
- As the size of the nuchal translucency increases, the chances of a chromosomal abnormality _____.
- what is the blood test?
- In fetus with Down’s syndrome, PAPP-A and aFP is LOW/HIGH, while beta-hCG and nuchal translucency will be DECREASED/INCREASED.
- The second stage of testing is done at 15-16 weeks gestation and involves quadruple test, i.e. which tests?
- combined
- blood, ultrasound
- nuchal translucency - assesses the amount of fluid collecting within the nape of the fetal neck. (Normal: ≤ 3.5mm)
- increases
- Triple test: serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), alpha fetoprotein (aFP) and beta-hCG.
- low, increased
- blood levels of aFP, inhibin, oestriol and total hCG.
Booking visit
- carried out when?
- what maternal assessent is undertaken?
- what fetal assessment is undertaken?
- 10 - 14 weeks
- medical, surgical, drug, obstetric, family and social history to identify additional care needs. Discuss mental health. Measure BP Blood tests (FBC, blood group, rhesus status, check for infection [HIV, hepatitis C, B, syphilis) and haemoglobinapathies (thalasseamias, sickle cell disease)). Check immunity against chicken pox, rubella etc
- Dating scan - Ultrasound scan to check for viability, determine gestation using fetal pole measurements, intrauterine pregnancy, number of pregnancies. Nuchal translucency will also be assessed as part of the Down Syndrome screening (DSS)
16 week scan
- what information is discussed
- maternal assessment?
3.
- Results from the screening tests discussed
- BP and urinalysis (for protein)
18-20 weeks scan
what fetal assessment is undertaken?
USS for structural fetal anomalies (anomaly scan) e.g. cleft palate, heart anomalies, limb defects, CNS defects, renal abnormalities. Placental site position visualised to aid in delivery
24weeks scan
- which vaccine should be discussed
- maternal test?
- Whooping cough (offered between 28-32 weeks)
- Offer Random glucose to check for gestational diabetes. Anti-D if rhesus negative
Routinely, uncomplicated nulliparous women will often have __ appointments while multiparous women will have __ appointments with their midwife.
10
7
Women with complex risk factors/conditions will require more
Women with pre-existing diabetes or those with new onset gestational diabetes are offered extra surveillance to monitor fetal growth and amniotic fluid volume as there is an increased risk of what complications?
- stillbirth, congenital malformations and polyhydramnios
- The Rhesus blood group system is used to classify antigens on the surface of which cells?
- Why is it important to test for this in pregnant women?
- why will it not affect the baby in her first pregnancy?
- RBCs, one of which is the D antigen (if they have the antigen = rhesus positive)
- Individuals who are rhesus negative can set up an immune response to blood cells that have the Rh D antigen leading to haemolytic transfusion reactions and haemolytic disease of the newborn in future pregnancies.
- When irst exposed, they form IgM Abs which are too big to cross the placenta and harm the current fetus. However, in future pregnancies, the body forms IgG Abs which are smaller and can cross the placenta to harm the fetus
what treatment is delivered in cases of suspected rhesus isoimmunisation?
Anti-D used as prophylaxis - works by removing the rhesus positive blood cells from mother’s circulation before antibodies are formed.
- anti-D is only given to which group of mothers?
- To have maximal effect, it should be given within __ hours of the sensitising event or after birth.
- what is a ‘sensitising event’?
- A single dose of anti-D lasts approximately 6 weeks so for cases where there is repetitive sensitising events a ____ test can be done - what is the point of this?
- Prophylactic anti-D is given at __ weeks gestation in rhesus negative mothers to cover “silent sensitising events” and is given regardless of whether there have been other sensitising events.
- Rhesus -ve mothers who may have been exposed to a sensitising event.
- 72
- one where there has been feto-maternal blood transfusion e.g. Placental abruptionl, abdominal traum (e.g. RTA), intra-uterine surgery/transfusion, TOP, delivery (in rhesus-D + baby), amniocentesis or CVS
- Kleihauer; to check the right dose for each sensitising event by quantifying fetal RBCs in mother’s blood.
- 28
- what are the 2 main diagnostic tests for fetal abnormalities and when are they done?
- They both carry a risk of what?
- Another risk of CVS is ___ ___ ___
- chorionic villus sampling (CVS): 11-14 weeks. amniocentesis: >15weeks
- miscarriage risk (2% of chorionic villus sampling and 1% for amniocentesis)
- amniotic fluid embolism.
Risk factors for multiple pregnancy?
- Assisted conception e.g. clomid, IVF
- Family history (maternal)
- Increased maternal age
- Increased parity
- Tall women > short women
Zygosity vs Chorionicity?
- Monozygotic = splitting of a single fertilised egg. Dizygotic = fertlisation of 2 ova by 2 sperm
- Dichorionic = two placentas (always DCDA). Monochorionic = one placenta (can be MCMA or MCDA depending on timing of ovum splitting)
- how is chorionicity determined?
- when is this done?
- why is this so important to monitor?
- by ultrasound using the shape and thickness of the membrane
- more reliably done at the booking scan (11-14weeks).
- monochorionic/monozygous twins are at higher risk of pregnancy complications and require 2 weekly USS to pick up the early signs of TTTS
Symptoms and signs of multiple pregnancy?
- Exaggerated pregnancy symptoms e.g. excessive sickness/hyperemesis gravidarum
- High AFP (alpha fetoprotein)
- Large for dates uterus
- Multiple fetal poles
Fetal complications of multiple pregnancy?
- Congenital anomalies
- Intrauterine deaths and higher perinatal mortality
- Pre-term birth
- Growth restrictions – both/discordant
- Cerebral palsy
- Twin to twin transfusion (only in monochorionic pregnancies) - oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios.
Maternal complications of multiple pregnancy?
- Hyperemesis gravidarum
- Anaemia
- Pre-eclampsia
- Gestational diabetes
- Antepartum haemorrhage – abruption, placenta praevia
- Preterm labour (50%)
- Caesarean section
Antenatal management of multiple pregnancy:
- Women with confirmed multiple pregnancy receive consultant led care and attend antenatal clinic every __ weeks for monochorionic pregnancies and every __ weeks for dichorionic pregnancies.
- Women are given __ and __ __ supplementation, low-dose ____ to try to prevent hypertensive disorders.
- Ultrasound scans are done from 16th week of gestation every 2 weeks where the deep vertical pool, bladder and umbilical artery are assessed
- Anomaly scan is done at 18-20 weeks.
- 2, 4
- iron and folic acid, aspirin
Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS)
- What is this?
- risks to the fetuses?
- treatment if <26 weeks?
- if >26 weeks?
- A condition where there is disproportionate blood supply to fetuses in monochorionic pregnancies.
- Because monochorionic twins share a placenta, anastomoses in the blood supply may not be balanced causing blood from the “donor” twin to flow to the “recipient” twin. Donor twin = decreased blood volum, affects growth and development (decreased urine output, anaemia and oligohydramnios). Recipient twin = increased blood volume (increased urinary output, polyhydramnios, polycythaemia and eventually heart failure)
- fetoscopic laser ablation - can lead to twin anaemia-polycythaemia sequence.
- amnioreduction/septostomy with aim to deliver at 34-36weeks (but may require preterm delivery).
5.
what option is offered to reduce risk in
- conjoined twins
- higher order births
- offered tOP
- offered selective reduction
Mode of Delivery for
- triplets? (or more)
- MCMA
- Twins, if twin one is cephalic
Overall much greater risk of C-section in twins (approx 50%)
- C-section
- C-section at 32-34 weeks due to the higher risk for cord entanglement
- can aim for vaginal delivery but may opt for a c-section – maternal choice.
Labour for multiple pregnancies
- Suggest ____ analgesia because can be used to facilitate operative delivery
- fetal monitoring: continuous use of ___ for both, possibly use a fetal scalp electrode.
- ____ administered after twin 1 to maintain contractions and aid delivery
- Intertwin delivery time aimed for <____
- Risk of PPH - active __ stage
- epidural
- CTG
- Syntocinon
- 30min
- 3rd
name 3 different types of breech presentation
Breech presentation
- Mode of delivery?
- risks associated with vaginal delviery?
- NB: non-cephalic presentation is normal up to __weeks gestation
- what is external cephalic version (ECV)?
- what is the most risky form of breech presentation? what is the associated risk?
- maternal choice - can either be vaginally/external cephalic version or elective c-section.
- malpresentation can lead to the baby getting stuck, fetal hypoxia and trauma to the baby.
- 36
- involves attempting to manually turn the fetus into a cephalic presentation (50% success rate)
- Footling - risk of cord prolapse (can obstruct fetal blood flow, is an obstetric emergency)
Term pregnancy
- Between __ and __ weeks gestation.
- Any pregnancy lasting longer than this is termed a ____ pregnancy.
- risks associated with this?
- Women are monitored every 2 weeks to assess the fetus wellbeing and offered induction of labour between __ and __ weeks gestation to avoid risks of prolonged pregnancy
- 37-42
- prolonged
- increased risk of stillbirth, meconium aspiration for the fetus leading to respiratory distress.
- 41-42
- what is the mainstay imaging used to assess pregnancy?
- In early pregnancy, it is used for assessment of what?
- In 2nd trimester, it is used to look what?
- In the 3rd trimester, it is used for what?
- ultrasound - no ionising radiation to the fetus.
- viability, to determine if intrauterine or ectopic, date pregnancy using crown-rump length (CRL), determine chorionicity, offer DSS [Down syndrome screening] using nuchal translucency
- for fetal anomalies, determine placental site and screen the maternal uterine artery resistance.
- to monitor fetal growth, look for fetal hypoxia and anaemia (only done to assess at risk pregnancies)
The ____ artery increases its resistance in fetal hypoxia and the ___ ___ artery decreases its resistance.
umbilical
middle cerebral (MCA) - will show an increase peak systolic volume in fetuses with anaemia.
____ (imaging modality) can also be used safely in pregnant women and is sometimes used to assess placental site, assess fetal anomalies or look for maternal pelvic pathology.
MRI
- An uncomplicated pregnancy receives how many ultrasound scans?
- High risk pregnancies are screened for fetal ____ using ultrasound
- Women with high risk red cell antibody levels are screened for fetal ____
- Low risk pregnancies have the fetal growth monitored by what measurement?
- 2 - booking (12weeks) and anomaly (20weeks) scans.
- growth
- anaemia
- symphseal fundal height. If s too large or small for gestation they are referred for a growth scan.
- which ethnicities have a higher risk of dying in pregnancy
- Age > ___ is another risk factor
- T/F: Deprivation and poor medical/pregnancy care are risk factors.
- What is the leading direct cause of maternal mortality.
- ____ causes are the most common indirect cause of maternal mortality.
- ____ is the leading cause in the first year post-delivery.
- Black and Asian women
- 40
- true
- VTE
- Cardiac
- Suicide
WHO definition of stillbirth?
a baby born with no signs of life at or after 28 weeks’ gestation.
Major causes of stillbirth?
- labour complications
- Post-term pregnancy
- Maternal infections e.g. malaria, HIV
- Maternal disorders e.g. diabetes, hypertension
- Fetal growth restrictions
- Congenital abnormalities
Define:
- Neonatal mortality
- Early neonatal mortality
- Late neonatal mortality
- death of a live-born baby within the first 28 days of life
- death of a live-born baby within the first seven days of life.
- death after 7 days until before 28 days.
- What is gestational hypertension (aka idiopathic hypertension)
- Hypertension in pregnancy in usually defined as: systolic > __ mmHg or diastolic > __ mmHg or an increase above booking readings of > __ mmHg systolic or > __ mmHg diastolic
- Pre-eclampsia is a condition seen after __ weeks gestation characterised by pregnancy induced ____ together with _____
- develops >20 weeks gestation but does not involve proteinuria or oedema.
- 140, 90, 30, 15
- 20, hypertension, proteinuria (>0.3g /24hours).
Pre-eclampsia increases the risk of…?
- Fetal prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation
- Eclampsia
- Haemorrhage due to placental abruption
- Cardiac failure, Stroke, VTE
- DIC (Disseminated Intravascular coagulopathy) and HELLP (Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and low platelets)
- Pulmonary oedema
- Multi-organ failure e.g. liver failure/rarely rupture, kidney failure
Investigations for preecalampsia?
- BP
- Urinalysis (will show proteins)
- Haemoglobin, Platelets, U&Es, LFTs, coagulation screen, urate
Risk factors for preeclampsia?
- Hypertensive disorder in previous pregnancy
- Chronic kidney disease
- Autoimmune disease such as SLE or antiphospholipid syndrome
- type 1 or 2 diabetes
- Chronic hypertension
- First pregnancy
- Age 40 years or older
- Pregnancy interval of more than 10 years
- BMI of 35kg/m2 or more at first visit
- Family history of pre-eclampsia
- Multiple pregnancy