Early Pregnancy Flashcards
Possible sites of ectopic pregnancy
Fallopian tube = 95 % Interstitial = 2% Cervical = 0.1% Ovarian = 0.01% C/S scar -rare Abdominal - rare
Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy
Previous PID Previous tubal surgery Previous ectopic pregnancy Infertility Assisted reproduction IUD Smoking Increased maternal age
When should women with confirmed ectopics be scanned in subsequent pregnancies?
6 weeks to confirm IUP
Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy
Amenorrhoea
PV Bleeding
Abdominal pain
GI symptoms
Signs of ectopic pregnancy
Lower abdominal tenderness
Adnexal tenderness
Cervical excitation
Shock / collapse
Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy
USS - empty uterus, variable endometrial thickening, thin endometrium, intrauterine pseudogestational sac.
- adnexal - hyperechoic tubal ring, mixed adnexal mass, ectopic sac / embryo
- Adnexal tenderness to vaginal probe
- Fluid in POD
Investigations in ectopic pregnancy
FBC
G+S (2U crossmatch)
BhCG
Who can have methotrexate to mange ectopic pregnancy
No significant pain Unruptured adnexal mass <35 mm with no visible heartbeat Serum hCG <1500 IU/litre Able to return for FU
Who can have expectant management of ectopic pregnancy
Able to attend for follow-up
ultrasound diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy
Absent /mild clinical symptoms
No signs of rupture or intraperitoneal bleeding
b-hCG initially less than 1500 iu/l.
and decreasing
% risk of miscarriage for a maternal age at conception of >45yrs
93%
% risk of miscarriage for a maternal age at conception of 20-24yrs
9%
% risk of miscarriage for a maternal age at conception of 30-34 yrs
15%
% risk of miscarriage for a maternal age at conception of 35-39 yrs
25%
Incidence of ectopic pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancy occurs in 11 in 1000 pregnancies.
Maternal mortality rate for ectopic pregnancy in UK?
Maternal Mortality rates for ectopic pregnancy in the UK
2 per 1000 = (0.2%)
What are the possible locations of ectopic pregnancy and which are most common?
The majority of ectopics are tubal
Non-tubal ectopics account for 3-5%
Tubal 93-95% Interstitial 2-5% Cervical <1% Ovarian <1% Abdominal <1% Heterotopic <0.1%
Tubal ectopics account for 93-95% of all ectopics, what can they be sub-categorised into?
Tubal pregnancies can be further subdivided into:
Ampullary section 70-80%
Isthmus 12%
Fimbrial 5-11%
Cornual and interstitial part of the tube 2%
Definition of recurrent miscarriage
Recurrent miscarriage is
loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies before the 24th week of gestation
What treatment is recommended in the Greentop guideline for recurrent miscarriage
Pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome - consider low-dose aspirin plus heparin
an abnormal parental karyotype should prompt referral to a clinical geneticist
What is the most important treatable cause of recurrent miscarriage
Antiphospholipid syndrome
How is Antiphospholipid syndrome diagnosed
two positive tests
taken at least 12 weeks apart
for either lupus anticoagulant or anticardiolipin antibodies of immunoglobulin G and/or immunoglobulin M class
present in a medium- high levels over 40g/l or >99th percentile
Management of Pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome
Pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome
considered low-dose aspirin plus heparin
When should Parental peripheral blood karyotyping be performed?
In recurrent miscarriage patients
where an unbalanced structural chromosomal abnormality is detected on products of conception.
Management if a Parental peripheral blood karyotyping is abnormal
An abnormal parental karyotype should prompt referral to a clinical geneticist
What is the % of trophoblastic activity which persists after surgery for ectopic pregnancy?
8% after laparoscopic salpingotomy.
4% after open surgery.
At what gestation do symptoms of ectopic pregnancy usually start?
6weeks
Definition of incomplete miscarriage
Bleeding with an open cervical os and passage of some tissue but some pregnancy tissue remains in the uterus
What % of incomplete miscarriages will resolve without intervention?
90%
In what % of pregnancies does a molar pregnancy occur
0.1% of pregnancies
In what ethnicity is molar pregnancy more common?
3x more common in Asian women
Presentation of a molar pregnancy
Painless vaginal bleeding in the 4-5th month. Passage of grape like vesicles. Persistent nausea and vomiting. Ovarian cysts. Large for dates. Visible on USS.
What is the difference between complete and partial hydatiform moles?
Complete moles are diploid + have no evidence of fetal tissue.
Partial moles have some fetal tissue or an abnormal fetus.
Definition of a complete miscarriage
Passage of all the pregnancy tissue.
Closed os on examination. No tissue in the uterus.
Definition of a threatened miscarriage
Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy but no other symptoms.
Cervical os closed.
May progress to normal pregnancy or to miscarriage
Definition of a inevitable miscarriage
Cervical os is open , abdominal cramping and bleeding started/increasing
Definition of a septic miscarriage
Miscarriage developing into an infection of the uterus.
Fever, chills, discharge, abdo pain, myalgia.
What % of miscarriages occur by 12 weeks?
80% of all miscarriages occur by week 12.
What % of women who know they are pregnant miscarry before 20 weeks?
Up to 20%
1/5
Causes of miscarriage
Embryo fails to develop inside gestational sac.
Abnormal embryo.
Chromosomal abnormalities.
Structural abnormality of the reproductive tract.
Miscarriage risk factors
increasing maternal age. young maternal age Previous miscarriage Smoking >10 day Alcohol Fever >37.8 Uterine trauma Very high caffeine levels (>10 cups of coffee/1000mg)
Management of miscarriage
Conservative - watch and wait.
Medical.
Surgical.
Until what gestation is the term ‘embryo’ correct?
Embryo until 10 weeks gestation.
What is the most common complication in early pregnancy?
Miscarriage
Next structure to be visible on USS after the gestational sac
Yolk sac
5th week
Size of a normal yolk sac on USS
Up to 6mm
What is the most common sonographic abnormality in the presence of a live embryo
Subchorionic hemorrhage (subchorionic hematoma)
Where does a subchorionic hemorrhage (hematoma) collect?
subchorionic hemorrhage (hematoma) collects between the uterine wall and the chorionic membrane and may leak through the cervical canal
How is a Pregnancy dated?
Historically dated from the last menstrual period not the date of conception
What is the Dubowitz score an assessment of?
Gestational age
Does smoking increase the rate of miscarriage?
Yes. Smokers have a 20-30% of 1st trimester miscarriage
Definition of recurrent miscarriage.
3 or more consecutive pregnancy losses before 24 weeks
What % of women are affected by recurrent miscarriage?
1%
What treatments for recurrent miscarriage are highlighted in the RCOG guidance as lacking evidence?
treatments for recurrent miscarriage that have insufficient evidence
- Paternal cell immunisation, third-party donor leucocytes, trophoblast membranes and intravenous immunoglobulin
- Corticosteroids
- Metformin
- LH suppression in PCOS
- HCG supplementation
- Progesterone supplementation
- Preimplantation genetic screening with IVF for women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage
- Uterine septum resection in women with recurrent miscarriage and uterine septum
What antibodies are tested for in antiphospholipid syndrome
Anticardiolipin
Beta-2 glycoprotein I (2GPI)
Lupus anticoagulant
Management of women who experience a second trimester miscarriage
A single 2nd T miscarriage should be investigated
- Screen for inherited thrombophilias
incl factor V Leiden, factor II (prothrombin) and protein S - Antiphospholipid antibodies
- Pelvic ultrasound
What is the live birth rate in women with recurrent miscarriage associated with antiphospholipid antibodies without treatment?
10%
combined aspirin and heparin treatment reduces miscarriage rate by 54%.
What percentage of women with recurrent miscarriage have antiphospholipid antibodies?
In women with recurrent miscarriage the rate is around
15%
What percentage of women with no known risk factors have antiphospholipid antibodies?
2%
What percentage of women are affected by recurrent miscarriage?
1-3%
How many women with an ectopic pregnancy have no risk factors?
1 in 3
Who should be referred to an EPAU and how urgent?
Immediate / ED OOH if UPT +ve with pain on examination or cervical motion tenderness
Non urgent referal if UPT postive and reporting pain but non identified on examination
or pregnancy >6wk with bleeding
or pregnancy unknown gestation with bleeding
Management of F with +ve UPT <6/40 with bleeding but NOT pain
expectant management
repeat UPT in 7-10 days and return if remains positive
Negative UPT at that time confirms miscarraige
Return if bleeding worsens or pain develops
Management in EPAU if CRL on TV USS <7mm and no FH
Perform second scan a minimum of 7 days later before diagnosing miscarraige
EPAU management of TV USS with CRL ≥ 7mm and No FH
Second opinion to confirm no FH present
and to confirm diagnosis of miscarriage
OR repeat USS in 7/7
Steps for confirming viability on EPAU TV scan
Look for FH
If no FH measure CRL if fetal pole present
If no fetal pole measure gestational sac diameter
EPAU management of no FH and CRL measured by TA scan only
Record CRL measured TA
Repeat scan in 14 days before making a diagnosis of miscarriage
EPAU management of TV USS showing mean sac diameter <25mm and no fetal pole
Repeat scan in 7 days
when does an EPAU accept patient self referal
F with recurrent miscarriage (3 consecutive)
Previous ectopic
Previous molar pregnancy
3 Common symptoms of ectopic pregnancy
7 other symtoms
- UPT +Ve / amenorrhoea / missed period
- Pain - abdominal or pelvic
- bleeding PV +/- clots
others - breast tenderness
- GI symptoms
- dizziness / fainting
- shoulder tip pain
- urinary symptoms
- passage of tissue
- rectal pressure / pain / pain on defecation