Labor and Delivery Flashcards
“Engagement”
Positioning of the head in the lower pelvis
“Flexion”
Flexion of the head, placing the occiput in presenting position
“Descent”
Descent of the neonate through the pelvis
“Internal rotation”
Internal rotation of the vertex to maneuver past the lateral ischial spines, the major barrier that the neonate must cross
“Extension”
Extension of the head to pass beneath the maternal symphysis
“External rotation”
External rotation of the head after delivery to facilitate shoulder delivery
What is the clinical definition of labor?
- Two things must be present:
- Painful uterine contractions
- Cervical dilation
Painful uterine contractions without cervical dilation
These contractons are referred to as “Braxton-Hicks” contractions, and do not represent labor since cervical dilation is not present.
When a pregnant woman near term is experiencing contractions, when should she come to the hospital?
- If there is:
- Leakage of fluid
- Vaginal bleeding
- Painful contractions every 5 minutes for 1 hour
- Decrease in fetal movements
Exam components unique to obstetrics
- Fetal:
- Fetal heart tone exam
- Fetal presentation (orientation within uterus)
- Maternal:
- Sterile vaginal exam
- Cervical dilation (internal os)
- “Effacement” (distance between internal and external os)
- “Fetal station” (position of head relative to ischial spines)
- Sterile vaginal exam
Cervical dilation
Specifically opening of the internal os
Maximal or complete dilation is 10 cm
Effacement describes. . .
. . . the closure of the space between the internal and external cervical os
In a non-effaced cervix, this distances is about 4 cm
Measuring fetal station
Fetal station of zero is defined as having the infant’s head on par with the level of the ischial spines by palpation
+1 represents 1 cm past the ischial spines, +2 2 cm past, etc.
-1 represents 1 cm beneat the ischial spine, etc.
Stage 1 of labor
- Divided into latent and active phases
-
Latent phase:
- Cervical dilation <4 cm
- Can last for days, variable length and rate of dilation
-
Active phase:
- Cervical dilation >4 cm
- Consistent dilation of 1.2-1.5 cm/hour
-
Latent phase:
Stage 2 of labor
From complete dilation (10 cm) to delivery of the infant
Stage 3 of labor
From delivery of the infant to delivery of the placenta
Stage 4 of labor
The immediate post-partum period of approximately 2 hours post-delivery of the placenta
Why should women avoid eating during active labor?
GI motility is halted, and eating can lead to severe nausea and emesis
Pain at different stages in labor
- During stage 1, pain results from contrations of uterus and dilation of cervix ⇒ visceral pain at levels of T10 to L1
- During stage 2, pain results from the neonate’s passage through the vaginal canal ⇒ somatic pain at level of S2-S4
Treatment of choice for pain of labor
Epidural blockage
Why are opioids suboptimal for pain of labor?
Their sedating effects are not desirable
However, if epidural is either insufficient or contraindicated, they can still be used and are often second-line
The epidural trade-off
Epidural helps a lot with pain, but also makes labor last slightly longer
Stage 2 of labor lasts. . .
. . . 2-3 hours for a 1st-time delivery, or potentially as short as minutes for multiparous women
Delivery is imminent when. . .
. . . a half-dollar size circumference of the fetal vertex is visible in-between pushes
As the infant crowns. . .
. . . it is helpful to manually support the perineum and extension of the fetal head
The optimal place for an infant after delivery
Skin-to-skin on the maternal chest
What is “active management” of the third stage of labor and why is it important?
- “Active management”
- Fundal massage
- Gentle cord traction
- IV or IM oxytocin
- Decreases the risk of post-partum hemorrhage
Placental separation
- Takes ~30 minutes post-delivery
- There are two important signs that placental delivery is imminent:
- Gush of blood
- Lengthening of the umbilical cord
Forms of “operative delivery”
- Application of traction to fetal skull with forceps
- Application of traction to fetal scalp with vacuum
When is operative delivery indicated?
- Prolonged or arrested stage 2 labor
- Suspicion of immediate or potential fetal compromise
- Shortening of the second stage for maternal benefit
“Obstetric conjugate”
Measurement approximated by clinical pelvimetry
Essentially, this is the narrowest fixed distance through which the neonate must pass in order to be delivered. It should be at least 11 cm to ensure that delivery goes smoothly.
This measurement may not be made clinically due to the presence of the urinary bladder, and so it is estimated as 2 cm shorter than the diagonal conjugate (which is the distance between the top of S1 and the pubic symphysis). So, in other words, you want the diagonal conjugate to be at least 13 cm.
Pudendal nerve block
Often necessary in obstetrics, especially when there is no time for a spinal block
Find the ischial spine and position the needle 1 cm inferiorly and medially. Aspirate to ensure that you are not injecting into the pudendal artery or inferior gluteal artery, which are in close approximation. Once you have confirmed this, inject lidocaine here.
The most feared complication of post-partum hemorrhage
Shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation
Coagulability in pregnancy
Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state.
There is an increase in the concentrations of major clotting factors and a decrease in the concentration of anti-clotting factors like protein S and antithrombin.
This is evolutionarily to prevent excessive postpartum blood loss.
Factors normally return to normal levels 6-12 wks postpartum.
Complications of DIC in pregnancy
- Abruption/fetal demise
- Amniotic fluid embolism
- Preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome
- Postpartum hemorrhage
What blood products are safe to give to DIC patients?
-
Generally:
- RBCs
- Platelets if <50,000
-
If active bleeding with risk of severe shock: (in other words, risk of shock outweighs risk of thrombosis)
- Cryporecipitate (fibrinogen, VWF/Factor VIII complex, Factor XIII)
- FFP (All clotting factors)
Ideal position of infant for delivery
Head flexed, facing the sacrum. Extension of head once past sacrum.
Important structures for pelvic inlet and outlet
- Inlet: Sacram promontory and pelvic brim
- Outlet: Ischial spines and coccys
Grading of vulvar lacerations
- Grade 1: Simple superficial epithelial tear – does not require surgical repair unless bleeding actively
- Grade 2: Involves muscle (bulbocarvernosus) – indicates surgical repair
- Grade 3: Into and through the external anal sphincter, with without going to the rectal mucosa – immediate repair
- Grade 4: Into and through the external anal sphincter AND involving the rectal mucosa - immediate repair
Best way to prevent grade 3 and 4 vulvar lacerations
- STOPPING any routine surgical interventions of the vulva, which were previously thought to help with delivery
- “Episiotomy”
What can happen if you don’t quickly repair a fourth degree vulvar tear?
A recto-vaginal fistula can form, sometimes within 24 hours
Use of multiple tocolytics increases the risk of ___ during labor
Use of multiple tocolytics increases the risk of pulmonary edema during labor
Most common tocolytics
Magnesium sulfate (in specific cases, shown to be less effective than others)
Nifedipine
Indomethacin
Terbutaline
Ritodine
Phases of parturition
- Phase 1: Quiescence
- From conception to initiation of parturition
- Myometrial contractility is suspended by progesterone, prostacyclin, relaxin, and nitric oxide
- Phase 2: Activation
- Lasts from initiation of parturition to onset of labor
- Cervical lining softens and prepares for labor via mucosal and glandular hyperplasia, collagen cross-linking is removed, uterine oxytocin receptor expression changes – mediated by estrogen, progesterone, uterine stretch, changes in proteoglycan composition
- Phase 3: Stimulation
- Onset of labor to delivery
- Fetus and placenta produce CRH, triggering ACTH production in fetal pituitary, and cortisol and DHEAS production in fetal kidneys. These in turn increase estrogens, prostaglandins, progesterones, and oxytocins. In the mother, oxytocin rises and binds to oxytocin receptors on the myometrium, increasing prostaglandin levels and stretch receptor # and sensitivity, stimulating regular uterine contractions
- Phase 4: Involution
- From delivery to restoration of fertility
- Return to pre-pregnancy physiology and anatomy, mediated by oxytocin
Pathology in stage 3 of parturition may lead to. . .
. . . pre-term labor, labor dystocia, post-term pregnancies
Sources of maternal oxytocin
Posterior pituitary
Decidua
Extraembryonic and placental fetal tissue
Reducing the risk of preterm labor in someone with a history of preterm labor
Weekly injection of 250 mg of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate from weeks 16-36 gestation reduces the risk of pre-term labor
This is because progesterones maintain uterine quiescence in the third trimester by limiting the production of pro-labor prostaglandins and inhibiting downstream effects of prostaglandin and oxytocin receptors.
Labor is associated with functional withdrawal of progesterone in the uterus.
Oxytocin pharmacokinetics
Biologic halflife: 3-4 minutes
Circulatory halflife: 10-12 minutes
Length of uterine effects: 20-40 minutes
Ideally during delivery, the uterus should contract __ times in a 10 minute period.
Ideally during delivery, the uterus should contract 3 times in a 10 minute period.