Early Pregnancy Complications Flashcards
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of a threatened miscarriage
Bleeding and abdominal pain with a closed cervix
Intrauterine pregnancy with heart activity
Watch and wait, rescan in 10 days. Anti-D if appropriate
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of a complete miscarriage
Bleeding and pain ceased with a closed cervix
Empty uterus and endometrial thickness <15mm
Anti-D if appropriate
If bleeding persists for >2 weeks consider RPOC or endometritis
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of an incomplete miscarriage
Bleeding and pain. Cervix open (can be closed)
Heterogenous tissue +/-gestational sac
Anti-D if appropriate
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of a missed miscarriage/early foetal demise
Bleeding
Pain
Loss of pregnancy symptoms
Closed cervix
Foetal pole >7mm with no heart activity OR
Mean gestation sac diameter >25 mm with no foetal pole or yolk sac
Expectant, medical or surgical
Anti-D if appropriate
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of an inevitable miscarriage
Bleeding
Pain
Open cervix
Intrauterine gestation sac, foetal pole and foetal heart activity
Expectant, medical or surgical
Anti-D if appropriate
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of a pregnancy of unknown viability
Bleeding
Pain
Closed cervix
Foetal echo with CRL <7mm with no heart activity OR
Mean gestation sac diameter <25 mm with no foetal pole or yolk sac
Rescan in 1 week
Anti-D if appropriate
Describe the clinical findings, USS findings and management of a pregnancy of unknown location
Bleeding
Pain
Closed cervix
Positive pregnancy test
Empty uterus
No sign of extrauterine pregnancy
Serial hCG 48 hours apart and serum progesterone level
Anti D if appropriate
What can cause a miscarriage
Usually genetic issues in the foetus
Maternal disease – poorly controlled diabetes, acute illness/infection, uterine anomalies and Thrombophilia’s/Antiphospholipid syndrome
Placental problems and multiple pregnancies
High pyrexia e.g. Malaria
Advanced maternal age – mother and father germ cell quality
Drugs, alcohol and smoking
What are the risk factors for miscarriage?
Advance maternal age Previous miscarriage Smoking Alcohol Drugs – NSAIDs and Aspirin, Narcotics Folate deficiency Consanguinity Always check for abnormal smears – bleeding and weakened cervix
How should a women who has come into the early pregnancy assessment unit with a suspected miscarriage be investigated?
- Abdominal Examination
- Speculum
- Bimanual Examination
- Urine Pregnancy test
- USS either TA (trans abdominal) or TV (trans vaginal)
- Serum BhCG
- Group and Save
- Serum progesterone - <20nmol indicates a failing pregnancy
How should a pregnancy of unknown location be investigated?
Could be ectopic pregnancy, complete miscarriage, or early uterine pregnancy. After confirming there is nothing in the uterus distinguish between these differentials with a serum beta hCG
>1500IU = ectopic pregnancy
<1500IU then repeat in 48 hours
• Viable pregnancy BhCG will increase by 63% every 48 hours
• Miscarriage BhCG will decrease by 63% every 48 hours
• If the change is outside these limits ectopic cannot be excluded
Describe the conservative/expectant management of a miscarriage and describe its advantages and disadvantages?
Can take 2 weeks for all tissue to pass – especially if intact sac. Access to Gynae services 24h, follow up scan after 2 weeks.
Offer medical if unsuccessful (or surgical if urgent)
Advantages Avoids risks of surgery/medication and can be at home
Disadvantages: Pain and bleeding is unpredictable, worrying at home is not nice, takes longer and may be unsuccessful.
Describe the medical management of a miscarriage and its advantages and disadvantages
Use of drugs to empty the uterus. Drugs used: Misoprostol (prostaglandins) – 1 dose if less than 9 weeks. Increase the dose if 9 weeks or greater. Given orally or Vaginally
Advantages: Avoids Surgery, high patient satisfaction if successful and can be done as outpatient or day case.
Disadvantages: pain and bleeding may be unpleasant and last many weeks; side effects of the drugs used and need for surgical management in about 5% of cases
Describe the surgical management of a miscarriage and its advantages and disadvantages?
If haemodynamically unstable or at patient’s choice. Highest complication rates. Use of a suction curette to empty the uterus – ERPC (evacuation of retaind product of conception. Takes around 5 minutes under general anaesthetic or can be done under local in a MVA (manual vacuum aspiration) – both done as day cases. Will feel normal after 24 hours but can bleed for 1-2 weeks. Uterine and cervical trauma minimised by administering prostaglandin before procedure.
Advantages: planned procedure and absolute closure
Disadvantages: complications: infection, haemorrhage, surgical damage to uterus, bowel or cervix. RPOC, adhesions, cervical tears and also anaesthetic risk.
Describe what women should be aware of if they chose to pass the POC at home?
Passing the POC may be painful and last up to 2 hours with bleeding. If excessive they need to come to hospital. Always send products to Histology to confirm they are POC and rule out trophoblastic disease.
