Final Flashcards
Where is the uterus at 20 weeks gestation?
at the umbilicus
What are Braxton Hicks contractions? When do they occur?
irregular, painless, intermittent contractions that facilitate uterine blood flow through the placenta to promote oxygen delivery to the fetus
-can be felt after 4th month of pregnancy
What is the Goodell sign?
softening of the cervical tip, around the 6 week
What is the Chadwick sign?
violet-bluish color of the vaginal mucosa and cervix, due to increased vascularity, evident as early as the 6th week of pregnancy
What is Leukhorrhea?
a white or slightly gray mucoid discharge with a faint musty odor. Response to cervical stimulation by estogen and progesterone. Never bloody. Forms the operculum (or mucus plug)
What is the operculum?
mucus plug, acts as a barrier against bacterial invasion during pregnancy
When can quickening be felt?
14-16 weeks
What are some of the cardiovascular adaptations to pregnancy?
- Heart and lungs will be elevated and shift to the left from enlarged uterus
- Increased blood volume and cardiac output may lead to transient murmurs
- Pulse increases
- BP: systolic usually stays the same or slightly decreases, diastolic decreases then gradually increases by term
- Supine hypotensive syndrome can occur
- increase in clotting factors (lead to increased risk for clots/DVT/stroke)
Between ___ and ____ weeks of gestation, the pulse increases approximately ___ to ____ bpm
14 and 20 weeks
10-15 bpm
How does blood pressure change throughout pregnancy?
- Systolic usually remains the same, may decrease slightly as pregnancy advances
- Diastolic begins to decrease in the first trimester, continues to drop until 24-32 weeks, then gradually increases and returns to prepregnancy levels by term
What are some of the respiratory adaptations to pregnancy?
- Oxygen requirements increase (leads to increased basal metabolic rate)
- Estrogen causes increased chest expansion
- Diaphragm is displaced, thoracic breathing replaces abdominal breathing
- Upper respiratory tact becomes more vascular (due to estrogen) and creates congestion
- Lowered threshold for carbon dioxide (become more aware of the need to breathe), slight pH increase
Pregnant women are often in a state of what acid-base balance?
Compensatory Respiratory Alkalosis
What are some of the renal adaptations to pregnancy?
- Renal pelves and ureters dilate, which leads to larger volume of urine held and urine flow rate is slowed (urinary stasis)
- Bladder irritability, nocturia, urinary frequency and urgency
- GFR and renal plasma flow (RPF) increase
- Additional sodium is retained
Changes in the renal structure during pregnancy result from… (3 things)
- Hormonal activity (estrogen and progesterone)
- Pressure from an enlarging uterus
- Increase in blood volume
What causes urinary frequency in pregnancy?
initially from increased bladder sensitivity and later from compression of the bladder
Why does GFR and renal plasma flow (RPF) increase in pregnancy?
Mother must manage increased metabolic & circulatory demands and waste products of fetus
Why is additional sodium retained during pregnancy?
Because of the need for increased maternal fluid (intravascular and extracellular) sodium is needed to expand fluid volume and to maintain an isotonic state
How do we increase renal perfusion and function in a pregnant mother?
Put her on her side
-Never give diuretics for excess fluid in a pregnant woman, it will pull off to much fluid
What are some of the integumentary adaptations to pregnancy?
Darkening of the nipples, areolae, axillae, and vulva (~16 weeks) Chloasma Linea nigra Striae gravidarum (stretch marks) Palmar erythema (due to estrogen) Gum hypertrophy
What are some of the musculoskeletal adaptations during pregnancy?
Weight changes Abdominal distention Center of Gravity Changes Increase in lumbar and dorsal curves Waddling Diastasis rect abdominis (separation of the rectus abdominis)
What hormone, other than estrogen, aids in relaxation and softening of joints and tissues?
Relaxin, an ovarian hormone
What are some of the neurological adaptations to pregnancy?
Sensory changes in legs/hands
h/a, sciatica, hypocalcemia
Vasomotor instability
Postural hypotension
What are some of the GI adaptations to pregnancy?
Appetite: Pica cravings
Mouth: estrogen causes gums to bleed
Esophagus, stomach, and intestines: constipation and heartburn
Gallbladder and liver: thick bile, decreased emptying time
Abdominal discomfort
What causes constipation and heartburn during pregnancy?
increased progesterone = decreased GI motility/constipation and “heartburn
What causes an increase in cholesterol production, thickening of bile and decreased emptying time?
Progesterone
-The reason why gall stones are prevalent in pregnancy
Intrahepatic (liver) cholestasis of pregnancy may cause…
pruritus gravidarum – severe itching)
What is estrogen’s role/function during pregnancy
- Enlarges genitals, uterus, breasts and vasodilatation
- Pelvic ligaments and joints, retention of Na and H2O by kidney tubules.
- Decreases hydrochloric acid and pepsin (~nausea during preg)
What is prolactin’s role/function during pregnancy?
- Produced by anterior pituitary increase in 1st trimester and during preg; responsible for initial lactation
- Estrogen and Progesterone levels during pregnancy block the binding of prolactin to breast tissue – inhibiting lactation.
What is oxytocin’s role/fucntion pregnancy/PP?
stimulates contractions, stimulates let down and “milk-ejection reflex”
(high level of progesterone prevent contractions until near term)
What is hCg role/function?
- maintains the production b the corpus luteum of estrogen and progesterone until the placenta takes over production
- hCG or beta subunit of hCG, secreted by the placenta, detectable 7-10 days after conception
What is progesterone’s role/function?
- Maintaining pregnancy
- relaxes smooth muscles (decreased uterine contractility)
What is the role/function of estrogen and progesterone (together)?
cause fat to deposit in subcutaneous tissues over the maternal abdomen, back, and upper thighs
-Serves as energy reserve for both pregnancy and lactation
What is the role/function of hCS?
produces by the placenta, acts as a growth hormone and contributes to breast development
What do high levels of hCG indicate? Low levels?
- High levels: may indicate abnormal gestation (e.g. Downs syndrome)
- Low levels: slow increase or a decrease may indicate impending miscarriage
What does APGAR stand for?
A: activity/muscle tone (flaccid, some flexion, well flexed)
P: pulse rate (absent, 100)
G: grimace/reflex irritability (no response, grimace, cry)
A: appearance/skin color (blue/pale, extremities blue, completely pink)
R: respiratory effort (absent, weak cry, good cry)
What does the nurse do immediately after the baby is born?
suction mouth and nose, dries the infant, verifies respirations have been established, assess temp, ID bands, skin-to-skin, hat, no apparent life-threatening anomalies or risk factors requiring immediate attention
What are the 3 immediate interventions soon after birth?
- Eye prophylaxis: against opthalmia neonatorum from gonorrheal or chlamydial infection
- Vitamin K prophylaxis
- Umbilical cord care
What are some ways we use to prevent cold stress?
skin-to-skin, blankets, drying and swaddling, hat, radiant warmer, promote infant flexion
How do we assess gestational age once the baby is born? What do we look for?
Dubowitz and Ballard scales pg. 488
Assess physical and neuromuscular signs
-Posture, flexion, square window, arm recoil, popliteal angle, scarf sign, heel to ear, skin, lanugo, plantar creases, breast buds, eye lids fused?, ear cartilage?, genitals
If a newborn has physical injuries from birth, what do we worry about?
Jaundice, from the breakdown of RBCs (bruising)
-Infection if scalp electrode placed/other lacerations
What are 4 common newborn complications we look out for?
hyperbili, resp problems, hypoglycemia, hypothermia
Sickle cell anemia is most common in what ethnicity? Sickle cell anemic pts are at risk for…
African-American adults
At risk for preeclampsia, IUFD, preterm birth, LBW infants, postpartum endometritis, UTIs, miscarriage, IUGR, stilbirth
Pregnant women with pregestational diabetes are at risk for which complications?
miscarriage, fetal macrosomia,shoulder dystocia, c-sections,preeclampsia, preterm birth, maternal mortality, chronic HTN, polyhydramnios, PROM, PPH, infections, ketoacidosis, congenital malformations
Gestational diabetes is more likely to occur in which ethnicities?
Latina, Native American, Asian, and African American women
Risk factors for gestational diabetes:
maternal age over 35, previous macrosomic infant, multiple gestation, previous unexplained IUFD, previous pregnancy with GDM, strong immediate family history of type 2 diabetes or GDM, previous LGA, obesity, and fasting blood glucose above 140 or random blood glucose above 200
What are the risk factors associated preeclampsia?
Nulliparity, family history, obesity, multifetal gestation, preeclampsia in previous pregnancy, IUGR, placental abruption, fetal death, preexisting medical-genetic conditions (HTN, renal dx, type 1 DM, and thrombophilias)
Whar are the risk factors for preterm labor?
Smoking, dehydration, infection, nutritional status, drugs, age (adolescents), low socioeconomic status
What are the signs of respiratory distress in a newborn?
nasal flaring, intercostal or subcostal retractions, or grunting with respirations, rate of less than 30 or more than 60/minute
LGA babies, what would you be worried about?
hypoglycemia, birth injuries, asphyxia, congenital anomalies (like heart defects)