Maternal A&P Flashcards
1
Q
What are the cardiac changes?
A
- Heart is pushed upwards and left – ecg changes
- Heart volume increases by 12% , hr increases by 10-15bpm
- Decrease in bp by 10-15 mmHg
- Blood volume and cardiac output increase as plasma volume increases
- Increased cardiac output balanced by reduced peripheral resistance due to progesterone acing on smooth muscle walls.
1
Q
What are the changes regarding the blood?
A
- 45% increase in blood volume can lead to relative anaemia
- Hypercoagulable – less bleeding, more clots
- Increase in white blood cells, reduced immune response,
- Blood volume and cardiac output increase as plasma volume increases - if in a traumatic incident, obs may look okay even if things are going wrong. High index of suspicion for bleeding.
- increase in nose bleeds
2
Q
What are the respiratory changes?
A
- Raised diaphragm
- Ventilation volume increases by 40% due to increased tidal volume. RR does not increase. Breathing changed from abdominal to thoracic.
- RR is good indicator of compensation as other changes may be masked.
3
Q
What are other miscellaneous changes?
A
- Migraines and headaches more common
- Increase in nose bleeds, change in food preferences.
- Delayed gastic emptying, heart burn, constipation and flatulence, nausea and vomiting,
- Bladder capacity increases to 1000mls, ureters can get kinked,
- Increase in white blood cells, reduced immune response,
- Pituitary increases in size to secrete pregnancy hormones,
