Maternity/Infant Health (Exam One) Flashcards
What laboratory panel is standard in labor and delivery?
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
What specific laboratory values are assessed in labor and delivery?
- Hemoglobin
- Hematocrit
What is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality?
Postpartum hemorrhage
Why does postpartum hemorrhage often go unnoticed?
Patients believe it is a normal finding following delivery
How has postpartum hemorrhage traditionally been classified?
- Early
- Late
Nurses and physicians tend to ______ guess the amount of postpartum blood loss.
Under-guess
Is postpartum bleeding a subjective or objective finding?
Subjective
Dark red blood is usually indicative of what?
Deep cervical lacerations
When does early postpartum hemorrhage occur?
Within 24 hours of the birth
When does late postpartum hemorrhage occur?
More than 24 hours but less than 6 weeks after the birth
Postpartum hemorrhage is defined by how much blood loss following a vaginal birth?
500 mL
Postpartum hemorrhage is defined by how much blood loss following a cesarean birth?
1000 mL
Why would hydramnios or a macrosomic fetus cause a boggy uterus?
Makes the uterus bigger
What is the leading cause of postpartum hemorrhage within the first hour following birth?
Uterine atony
What is the priority nursing intervention for a patient experiencing hemorrhage due to uterine atony?
Perform fundal massage
What is the first sign of uterine atony?
Profuse bleeding
How is the risk of hemorrhage reduced?
- Contraction of uterus
- Firming of uterus
What length of time is allotted to deliver the placenta following birth?
30 minutes
If the placenta has not been delivered within 30 minutes following the birth, what is this considered?
Retained placenta
List the risk factors associated with manual removal and separation of the placenta.
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Retained placental fragments
What type of surgical intervention is utilized to remove retained placental fragments that are unable to be manually removed?
Dilation and curettage (D&C)
List the three different levels of adherent retained placenta.
- Accreta
- Increta
- Percreta
What is placenta accreta?
Slight penetration of the myometrium
What is placenta increta?
Deep penetration of the myometrium
What is placenta percreta?
- Deep penetration of the myometrium
- May invade nearby organs
List the risk factors associated with adherent retained placenta.
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Hysterectomy
Describe placenta abruptio.
Premature separation of the placenta
_________ _________ is NOT considered an abnormal placental adherence pattern.
Placenta abruptio
A patient with a firm uterus is experiencing bright red bleeding from the vagina. The nurse knows the most likely cause for the bleeding is what?
Lacerations of genital tract
List the most common causes of lacerations of the lower genital tract.
- Operative births
- Precipitate births
- Abnormal presentation of fetus
- Congenital abnormalities of maternal soft tissue
- Previous scarring from infection
Describe the bleeding characteristics associated with lacerations of the genital tract.
- Slowly
- Continuous
What is the most common type of hematoma?
Vulvar hematoma
Describe a vulvar hematoma.
Visible and painful
What type of patient is most at risk for developing a vaginal hematoma?
- Primiparous women
- Use of forceps
Patients who have had a episiotomy are at an increased risk for what?
Vaginal hematomas
What type of hematoma is the least common and most life threatening?
Retroparateneal
List nursing interventions for a patient with a hematoma.
- Apply ice
- Pain medication
- Cushion (donut) to sit on
What is the purpose of marking a hematoma?
Manage size and growth
What condition is potentially life threatening, a medical emergency, and requires immediate attention?
Inversion of the uterus
Inversion of the uterus occurs in ___ in _______ births.
1 in 2,500 births
What type of medication is given to a patient with an inversion of the uterus? Why?
- Tocolytics
- Relaxes the uterus
Describe incomplete inversion of the uterus.
- Smooth muscle can be palpated through the cervix
- Uterus has not come through the cervix
Describe complete inversion of the uterus.
- The uterus is inside-out
- Uterus is coming out through the cervix
Describe prolapsed inversion of the uterus.
Large mass of uterus is protruding outside of the vagina
What is the most common reason for late postpartum hemorrhage?
Subinvolution of the uterus
List the signs and symptoms of subinvolution of the uterus.
- Uterus does not shrink
- Increased bleeding
- Prolonged lochial discharged
List medications used to manage postpartum hemorrhage.
- Oxytocin
- Methergine
- Hemabate
What medication increases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage?
Magnesium sulfate
Why does magnesium sulfate increase the risk for postpartum hemorrhage?
- Acts as smooth muscle relaxant
- Causes uterine relaxation
- Causes uterine atony
What type of surgical intervention is utilized for late postpartum hemorrhage if it is unable to be corrected otherwise?
Dilation and curettage (D&C)
A _________ ________ is a nonsurgical intervention that is inserted into the uterus to apply internal pressure in order to manage postpartum hemorrhage.
Bakri balloon
If a Bakri balloon is inserted, the nurse knows not to perform what?
Fundal massage
Inversion of the uterus will most likely lead to __________ _______.
Hemorrhagic (hypovolemic) shock
List the signs and symptoms of hemorrhagic (hypovolemic) shock.
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
- Urine output less than or equal to 30 mL per hour
What is the primary nursing intervention for a patient experiencing hemorrhagic (hypovolemic) shock?
Fluid replacement
An autoimmune disorder in which anti-platelet antibodies decrease the lifespan of platelets is known as what?
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
Describe von Willebrand disease (vWD).
Defect in blood clotting protein
What is considered the primary treatment of choice for von Willebrand disease (vWD) as it can be administered orally, nasally, and IV?
Desmopressin
___________ __________ results from formation of blood clots inside of a blood vessel, caused by inflammation or partial obstruction of the vessel.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Where does deep venous thrombosis (DVT) most commonly occur?
Lower extremities
Involvement varies, but deep venous thrombosis (DVT) can extend from the ______ to the _________ _________.
From the foot tot he iliofemoral region
What medical manifestation is considered a complication of deep venous thrombosis and occurs when part of a blood clot dislodges?
Pulmonary embolism
Pain and tenderness in the extremities, accompanied by warmth, redness, and harness is indicative of what condition?
Thrombophlebitis
What is considered the first sign or symptom of postpartum infection?
Increased temperature for two successive days, beginning 24 hours after birth