Complications in Pregnancy 1 Flashcards
Define spontaneous miscarriage.
- a termination/loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks gestation
List the categories of spontaneously miscarriage.
- threatened
- inevitable
- incomplete
- complete
- septic
- missed
State the incidence of spontaneous miscarriage.
- 15%
Describe a threatened miscarriage.
- bleeding from the gravid uterus before 24 weeks gestation
- viable fetus
- no evidence of cervical dilation
- may or may not be pain
Describe an inevitable miscarriage.
- dilation of the cervix
- bleeding which may be heavy
Describe an incomplete miscarriage.
- only partial expulsion of the products of conception
- bleeding may or may not be heavy
Describe a complete miscarriage.
- complete expulsion of the products of conception
- cervix will be closed
- all bleeding will have stopped
Describe a septic miscarriage.
- following an incomplete abortion there is a risk of ascending infection into the uterus which can spread throughout the pelvis
Describe a missed miscarriage.
- the fetus has died but the uterus has made no attempt to expel the products of conception
- usually no symptoms
- gestational sac may be seen on scan
List aetiological factors which may contribute to a spontaneous abortion.
- abnormal conceptus
- uterine abnormality
- cervical incompetence
- maternal
- unknown
Define an ectopic pregancy.
- a pregnancy in which implantation has occurred outside the uterine cavity
List some risk factors for ectopic pregnancy.
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- previous tubal surgery
- previous ectopic
- assisted conception
Give a typical presentation of an ectopic pregnancy.
- period of amenorrhoea with a positive pregnancy test
- vaginal bleeding
- abdominal pain
- GI or urinary symptoms
Define an antepartum haemorrhage.
- haemorrhage from the genital tract after the 24th week of pregnancy but before the delivery of the baby
List some causes of APH.
- placenta praevia
- placenta abruption
- Local lesions of the genital tract
- Vasa praevia
Describe placenta praevia.
- the placenta is attached to the lower segment of the uterus
Describe placenta abruption.
- placenta has started to separate from the uterine wall before the birth of the baby
- associated with retroplacental clot
- can be classified as concealed, mixed or revealed
Describe vasa praevia.
- rupture of a fetus vessel within the fetal membranes
- blood loss is fetal, not maternal
At how many weeks would a baby be describe as mildly preterm?
32-36 weeks
How would you describe a birth at 24-28 weeks?
- extremely preterm
List some predisposing factors of preterm labour.
- multiple pregnancy
- polyhydraminos
- APH
- Pre-eclampsia
- Infection
- Prelabour premature rupture of membranes
