Diagnosis of Preg Flashcards
what is naegele’s rule?
lmp plus one year minus 3 months plus seven days - remember this is used to help calculate the EDC (estimated date of confinement aka due date)
what is it called when the cervix begins to soften in the early stages of pregnancy? (IOW the cervix goes from feeling like cartilage to lips)
Hegar’s sign
by what week of pregnancy does the fundus of the uterus become palpable above the pubic symphysis?
week 12
describe the change in cervical mucus during pregnancy
goes from fernlike pattern to beaded/cellular pattern
which hormone is responsible for the fernlike pattern of cervical mucus?
estrogen (increases sodium chloride)
which hormone is responsible for the beadlike/cellular pattern of cervical mucosa?
progesterone (decreases sodium chloride)
what happens to the vaginal mucosa color during pregnancy?
increase in blood flow causes vagina to appear dark bluish or purplish-red
the bluish discoloration of the vaginal and cervical mucosa due to vascular congestion during pregnancy is called what?
chadwick’s sign
first fetal movements felt by the mother are called what?
quickening
what happens to maternal hair growth during pregnancy?
Prolonged anagen - the active growth phase of hair follicles.
the fundal height at the level of the umbilicus if the equivalent of how many weeks gestation?
20 weeks
why is it that the fundal height at 40 weeks tends to be less than at 36 weeks?
engagement and descent of fetal head accounts for this
a gestational sac should be seen inside the uterus on TVU at which hcg level?
at least 1500 mIU/ml
what is the role of hcg in early pregnancy?
supports the corpus luteum which produces progesterone which helps to support early pregnancy - remember, do NOT assay for hcg until a woman has missed her menstrual period
hcg peaks at what week of gestation?
10 weeks
for how long does hcg help to sustain the corpus luteum? what happens after this point in time?
first 7 weeks - after which point the placenta makes its own hormones to sustain the pregnancy
if hcg levels are greater than 1500 but there is no evidence of intrauterine pregnancy via TVUS what should you begin to think?
ectopic pregnancy
what is the preferred method to diagnose normal pregnancy? urine or plasma hcg
urine!
at what time of day is best to collect urine for hcg levels? why?
early morning b/c hcg concentration is highest in the AM
what are two situations in which a urine hcg will give you a false positive?
proteinuria and UTI
what is the range of normal fetal heart rate?
110 to 160
is early or late pregnancy ultra more accurate in establishing the EDD?
early
an US done in T1 can vary by how many days in terms of predicting EDD?
approx. 4 days
an US done in T2 can vary by how many days in terms of predicting EDD?
approx. 14 days
an US done in T3 can vary by how many days in terms of predicting EDD?
approx. 21 days
t or f: ultrasound measures the gestational age of the fetus
FALSE! u/s only measures the size of the fetus NOT the gestational age
