Intrapartum Flashcards
Labor is a physiological event, involving sequential changes within the
myometrium, decidua, & cervix
Name the 6 signs of PREMONITORY SIGNS OF LABOR
( s/s labor is near)
- Cervical Changes
- Lightening- Fetus descend into true pelvis
- INCR. Energy Level
- Bloody Show
- Braxton Hicks Contr.
- SROM
Cervical changes (dilation) occur
1 month - 1 hr BEFORE labor begins.
Cervical changes include
- Shortened, thinned segment
- Effacement - softer, more stretchable
- Dilation
Lightening may occur
2 weeks or more bEFORE labor begins
S/S of lightening occuring
- Improvement in breathing
- May experience:
-increase Pelvic pressure
-Leg cramping
-Dependent edema Lower extremities - Low back discomfort
-increase Vaginal discharge - Urinary frequency
INCREASE in energy levels
- occurs 24 - 48 hrs BEFORE onset of labor
- Mom begins to prep for childbirth
- Increase of epinephrine, decr of progesterone
Increased energy levels is called
NESTING
BLOODY SHOW sign of labor
- pressure ruptures cervical capillaries
- Expulsion of Mucous plug
- Mucus and blood mix= Pink-tinged secretions
What do Braxton Hicks Contractions do?
- become STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT
- FUNDUS feels Tightening or pulling sensation
- felt in abdomen & groin then spread downward
- Cervix moves from post. to ant. position.
- Assist w/ cervical ripening & softening
- Irregular
- Last 30 secs to 2 min.
Spontaneous Rupture of Membranes (SROM) is
- rupture of membranes with loss of amniotic fluid prior to the onset of labor.
- begin labor w/i 24 hrs
WHat to expect during SROM sign of labor
- labor begins within 24 hrs
- Sudden gush or a steady leakage of amniotic fluid
- Risk for infection & Danger of cord prolapse
- Advise women to notify HCP & get evaluated
True vs false labor
Factors Affecting the Labor Process
- Passanger (Fetus and placenta)
- PASSAGEWAY (maternal pelvis and soft tissues)
- POWERS (contraction)
- Position (moms position)
- psyche
different types of pelvic shape becomes determining factor for
vaginal birth.
Pelvis shape is determined by 4 MAIN SHAPES
- GYNECOID
- ANTHROPOID
- ANDROID
- PLATYPELLOID
TYPE OF PELVIS:
- True female pelvis
- Less common in men
- Most favorable for VB
- Allows early & complete fetal internal rotation during labor
GYNECOID PELVIS
TYPE OF PELVIS:
- Common in men & non-white women.
- ‘Deep pelvis’- oval inlet & long sacrum
- Wider AP diameter than transverse)
ANTHROPOID PELVIS
TYPE OF PELVIS:
- Male-shaped pelvis
- Funnel shape
- Slow fetal head decent
- Failure of fetus to rotate
- Poor prognosis for VB, lead to CS
ANDROID PELVIS
TYPE OF PELVIS:
- Least common type
- Difficult for fetus to descend
- Labor prognosis is poor
- Frequent arrest at inlet
- Not favorable for VB
PLATYPELLOID (FLAT) PELVIS
Important PASSANGER factors are -
- Fetal head (size & presence of molding)
- Fetal attitude (POSTURING: degree of body flexion)
- Fetal lie (SPINE of fetus vs SPINE of mother)
- Fetal presentation (first body part in inlet- Presentation part)
- Fetal position (relationship to maternal pelvis)
- Fetal station
- Fetal engagement (head in pelvic inlet)
Fetal Head factors
- Cranial bones
-Not fused, soft & pliable
-2 frontal, 2 parietal, & 1occipital bone - Sutures present (gaps b/t cranial bones)
- Molding: elongated shape of fetal sjull at birth
- Caput Succedaneum- Fluid collection in the scalp
-
Cephalohematoma- Blood collection beneath scalp
-reabsorbed over 6-8 weeks
Fetal head diameter include
- Occipitofrontal
- Occipitomental
- Suboccipitobregmatic (9.5 cm)
- Biparietal (9.25 cm at term)
Fetal Head Diameters:
- Largest transverse diameter of fetal skull
- Distance between two parietal bones
Biparietal diameter
9.25 cm at birth
What is CEPHALIC PRESENTATION
- HEAD-FIRST presentation- in pelvis
- occurs in 95% of all term births.
- “Vertex”
Most common Fetal attitude
Flexion:
* All joints flexed
-Back rounded
-Chin on chest
-Thighs flexed on abdomen
* Legs flexed at knees
* Most favorable for vaginal birth
* Smallest fetal parts presents to pelvis first
anything outside these norms is considered ABNORMAL
There are 3 possible Fetal Lies
- longitudinal
- transverse
- oblique
Which Fetal Lie is the MOST COMMON
longitudinal
THe main 3 FETAL PRESENTATIONS
- CEPHALIC/VERTEX (head fist)
- BREECH (pelvis/butt first)
- SHOULDER (scapula /shoulder first)
Cephalic (also known as the VERTEX) presentation has 3 different variations.
Name them
- Military
- brow
- Face
basically 3 ways the baby’s head can come out during the CEPHALIC presentation
Most common fetal presentation is?
Cephalic presentation.
Breech fetal presentation is when
Fetal buttocks or feet come FIRST
Challenges at birth with a breeched baby
- Largest part (skull) becomes stuck in pelvis
- umbilical cord compressed (stops O2 to baby)
- buttocks are not cervical dilators (pelvis does not open more)
Breeched babys are associated with
- prematurity
- placenta previa
- uterine abnormalities (fibroids)
- congenital anomalities
- possible trauma to head.
Shulder fetal presentation
- Presents shoulders
- Turtle sign- head slowly emerges into perineum but then retrachs back into vagina
- TRANSVERSE LINE POSITION
- Rare: 1 in 300
The relationship of a given POINT ON THE PRESENTING PART of the fetus to a designated POINT ON THE MATERNAL PELVIS
fetal position.
Fetal position:
The landmark fetal PRESENTING PARTS include:
4 total
- Occipital bone (O) - Vertex
- Chin (Mentum [M]) - Face
- Buttocks (Sacrum [S])- Breech
- Scapula (Acromion [A]) - Shoulder
Documenting:
Vertex Fetal presentation
Occipital bone (O)
Documenting:
Chin Fetal presentation
Mentum [M]-
FACE