Complications during Pregnancy: Bleeding Flashcards
True or false: Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy may be normal.
False
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is always abnormal and must be carefully investigated to determine the cause.
Causes of bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy (2 answers)
- Spontaneous abortion
- Ectopic pregnancy
Causes of bleeding during the second trimester of pregnancy (2 answers)
- Gestational trophoblastic disease
- Incompetent cervix
Causes of bleeding during the third trimester of pregnancy (3 answers)
- Placenta previa
- Abruptio placenta
- Preterm labor
Spontaneous abortion is when a pregnancy is terminated when? (2 answers)
- Before 20 weeks gestation (point of fetal viability)
- Fetal weight is less than 500 g
Risk factors for spontaneous abortion (8 answers)
S.A.T.C.C.A.M.M.
- Substance abuse
- Advancing maternal age
- Trauma or injury
- Chromosomal abnormalities (most common cause; 50% of cases)
- Chronic maternal infections
- Anomalies in the fetus or placenta
- Maternal illness (e.g., insulin-dependent DM)
- Maternal malnutrition
Diagnostic procedures for spontaneous abortion (5 answers)
C.W.U.S.H.
- Clotting factors (monitor for disseminated intravascular coagulopathy)
- WBC (check for infection)
- Ultrasound of cervix (to check if opened or closed)
- Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
- Hgb, Hct if considerable blood loss
Types of miscarriages (6 answers)
- Threatened
- Inevitable
- Incomplete
- Complete
- Missed
- Recurrent
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Give the status of each assessment parameter. Char!
Threatened miscarriage
a. Cramps
b. Bleeding
c. Tissue passed
d. Cervix
a. Slight cramps
b. Spotting - moderate
c. None
d. Closed
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Give the status of each assessment parameter.
Inevitable miscarriage
a. Cramps
b. Bleeding
c. Tissue passed
d. Cervix
a. Moderate
b. Mild to severe
c. None
d. Dilated
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Give the status of each assessment parameter.
Incomplete miscarriage
a. Cramps
b. Bleeding
c. Tissue passed
d. Cervix
a. Severe
b. Continuous and severe
c. Partial fetal tissue or placenta
d. Dilated
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Give the status of each assessment parameter.
Complete miscarriage
a. Cramps
b. Bleeding
c. Tissue passed
d. Cervix
a. None
b. Minimal
c. Complete expulsion of uterine contents
d. Open then closes after passage of tissues
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Give the status of each assessment parameter.
Missed miscarriage
a. Cramps
b. Bleeding
c. Tissue passed
d. Cervix
a. None
b. Brownish discharge
c. None
d. Closed
Spontaneous abortion / Miscarriage assessment
Recurrent miscarriage
Habitual abortion; three consecutive miscarriages
Nursing interventions for clients with spontaneous abortion
a. Immediate management (3 answers)
b. Medications (3 answers)
a.
- Perform pregnancy test
- Bed rest with sedation for threatened, inevitable, and incomplete abortions
- Determine how much tissue has passed; save passed tissue for examination
b.
- Administer:
- blood products as prescribed
- IV oxytocin as prescribed to expulse products of conception
- broad spectrum antibiotics
- RhoGRAM to Rh-negative clients
Nursing interventions for clients with spontaneous abortion
c. Procedures (2 answers)
d. Health teaching (3 answers)
c.
- Assist with termination of pregnancy (e.g., D&C, D&E) as indicated
- Avoid vaginal exam
d.
- Use lay term for miscarriage with clients
- Advise clients with threatened abortion to avoid coitus
- Provide client education and support
Defined as the abnormal implantation of the fertilized ovum outside of the uterine cavity
Ectopic pregnancy
Where does implantation usually occur during ectopic pregnancy?
Fallopian tube (this results in a fatal hemorrhage)