Complications & Pathologies of Pregnancy Flashcards
What is miscarriage defined as?
Spontaneous loss of pregnancy before 24 wks gestation (defined as the spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the fetus reaches viability. The term therefore includes all pregnancy losses from the time of conception until 24 weeks of gestation)
What is an abortion?
A voluntary termination of pregnancy
What is the incidence of spontaneous miscarriage?
15%
What is a threatened miscarriage?
Bleeding from gravid uterus before 24 wks gestation +/- pain & there is a viable foetus & no evidence of cervical dilation
What is inevitable miscarriage?
Cervix begun to dilate-open cervix with bleeding that could be heavy (+/-clots)
What is an incomplete miscarriage?
Only partial expulsion of the products of conception
What is a complete miscarriage?
When there is a complete expulsion of products
- Passed all products of conception (POC)
- Cervix closed & bleeding has stopped (should ideally have confirmed the POC or should have had a scan previously that confirmed an intrauterine pregnancy)
Define a septic miscarriage?
Ascending infection into uterus-can spread throughout pelvis
- Especially in cases of an incomplete miscarriage
What type of miscarriage is it when a foetus has died but the uterus has made no attempts to expel the products of conception?
Missed miscarriage
- No symptoms, or could have bleeding/brown loss vaginally
- Gestational sac seen on scan
What is a viable pregnancy?
“viable pregnancy” after 22-24 weeks is a pregnancy when there is a chance that if delivered the baby can survive
What is the role of the ovary?
Egg store & hormone release
What is the muscle of the uterus called?
Myometrium
What is the role of the cervix?
To keep canal narrow during pregnancy & dilates during labour to allow baby out- Also allows spermatozoa up but not bacteriato prevent infection
When progesterone keeps rising in the hormone cycle what does this indicate?
Egg is fertilised
What does progesterone (or progestogen) do to the endometrium?
Thickens the lining, changes cells
- Turns endometrium into decidua-increases vascularity (monthly shedding occurs here and is akin to falling of leaves from a decidual tree)
- Between glands & vessels the stromal cells enlarge & become procoagulant-stops bleeding
What is fertilised by sperm?
Egg (‘chorion’)
Outer edge of chorion=trophoblast cells on outside of the fertilised egg
Trophoblast cells produce which hormone?
B-hCG (Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotrophin)
What is the target for B-hCG?
Target is corpus luteum in the ovary
What is the function of B-hCG & what is it used for clinically?
Its function is to stimulate the corpus luteum to produce progestogen, which stops decidua from shedding
It forms the basis of pregnancy tests - Stimulates ovary to produce progesterone throughout pregnancy & stops decidua from shedding
Where does the fertilised egg burrow into?
Into the decidua
What are trophoblasts & what do the do?
Are placental cells that only exist in pregnancy. It is a fetal cell.
Invade mother’s blood vessels & eventually link these vessels up with those of the foetus
Where are decidual stromal cells located & what is their purpose?
Between vessels (of mother) - they are procoagulant & stop trophoblast cells causing too much bleeding when they invade mothers blood vessels
Fill in the blanks: Projections of chorion (chorionic ..(1)…) covered in ..(2).. cells start to move into the decidua. Eventually the chorionic …(1)… are bathed in the mother’s blood forming the forerunner of the …(3)….
1) Villi
2) Trophoblast
3) Placenta