Maternity/Infant Health (Exam One) Flashcards
The organization AWHONN focuses on what aspects of nursing?
- Neonatal nursing
- Obstetrics nursing
- Women’s health
Why is health literacy a problem in the United States?
- Many diverse population
- Differences in cultures and beliefs about healthcare
A low birth weight baby weighs less than what?
Less than 2500 grams
Babies of this race are most at risk of having a low birth weight?
Non-hispanic black babies
When are low birth weight babies most at risk, or most likely, to die?
Within the first year of life
How can babies being born at a low birth weight be prevented?
- Access to prenatal care
- Access to community resources
Besides low birth weight, what factors influence infant mortality?
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Maternal medical conditions
- Bacterial sepsis
- Respiratory distress syndrome
What amount of women in the United States are obese?
One-third of women
What are the associated complications of obesity?
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
Hypertension and diabetes associated with obesity can lead to what other complications?
- Infertility
- Congenital anomalies of the infant
- Miscarriage
- Fetal death
There has been an _____ in international infant mortality rates
Increase
What are the top three factors contributing to maternal mortality trends?
- Hypertension
- Hemorrhage
- Infection
Who can provide prenatal care?
- OBGYN
- Certified nurse-midwives
What is a lay midwife? In what setting is a lay midwife most common?
- Unlicensed or uncertified midwife
- Home birth setting
Women are typically ____ during childbearing.
Healthy
List ways to decrease risk factors that could result in a poor pregnancy outcome.
- Nutrition
- No smoking or secondhand smoke exposure
- No alcohol
- Violence prevention
- Support system
Why is there no safe limit of alcohol during pregnancy?
Everyone metabolizes alcohol differently
What question should the nurse ask the patient in private to help promote violence prevention?
“Do you feel safe at home?”
What are international concerns that also occur in the United States?
- Female genital mutilation
- Human trafficking
What is female genital mutilation?
- All or part of the female genitalia is removed
- Can cause complications during childbirth
How many women in the United States have experienced female genital mutilation?
Over 500,000
Human trafficking victims may experience what?
- Hard labor
- Sexual work
- Organ donation
What is the leading cause of death in women?
Heart disease
The risk of violence _____ during pregnancy.
Increases
What is standard of care?
Level of practice that a reasonably prudent nurse would provide in the same or similar situation
A nurse who is unsure how to perform a skill within her scope of practice should do what?
Look at the policy and procedure manual
Define risk management.
- System of checks and balances
- Make sure the nurse is doing everything they can to decrease the risk of injury to a patient
What is a sentinel event?
-Unanticipated event that results in the death or serious psychological or physiological harm of a patient
What is outcomes oriented practice?
Compares outcomes with clinical practice standards
A nurse should recognize that the most significant barrier for access to care is the pregnant woman’s what?
Inability to pay
Family planning prenatal care continues until the baby is how old?
One year old
Who does a nuclear family consists of?
- Husband
- Wife
- Biological or adopted children
Are nuclear families increasing or declining in society?
Declining
What does an extended (multigenerational) family provide?
Social, emotional, and financial support for one another
Who does an extended (multigenerational) family consist of?
- Aunts
- Uncles
- Cousins
- Grandparents
Who does a married blended family consist of?
- Husband
- Wife
- Children from prior relationships
A single-parent family is considered to be what?
- Non-traditional
- More socially vulnerable
A single-parent family can affect what?
- Health status
- School achievement
- Promote high-risk behaviors
What two factors play the most powerful role in the actions of individuals and families?
- Beliefs
- Values
Regarding assessment, the nurse will focus on what with a low-risk family?
Promoting healthy behaviors during pregnancy and delivery
Regarding assessment, the nurse will focus on what with a high-risk family?
Focus on additional illnesses (i.e. drug or alcohol abuse)
What is subculture?
A culture within a culture
What is acculturation
A person retains some of their own culture but adopts practices of the dominant society.
What is assimilation?
- Loss of cultural identity
- Completely becoming a part of the dominant culture
What is ethnocentrism?
- When one believes that their beliefs and values are the best
- They are the only right way
Women make up what percent of the population?
51%
Why might a racial or ethnic minority be considered a vulnerable population?
Language barriers
Why might adolescent girls be considered a vulnerable population?
- Lack of societal experience
- More likely to participate in high-risk behaviors (i.e. unprotected sex)
Why might older women be considered a vulnerable population?
More at risk for chronic illnesses
Why might incarcerated women be considered a vulnerable population?
- More at risk for communicable diseases (i.e. STD’s)
- More likely to participate in high-risk behaviors
Why might women in rural areas be considered a vulnerable population?
Limited access to care
Homeless women are considered a vulnerable population because they are more at risk for what?
- Infectious diseases
- Lack of prenatal care
- Anemia
- Substance abuse
- Chronic diseases
List examples of primary level prevention.
- Immunizations
- Carseats
- Exercise
- Nutrition
List examples of secondary level prevention.
- Target a specific population
- Screenings (i.e. mammograms, pap smears)
- Contraceptives
List examples of tertiary level prevention.
Preventing further deterioration (i.e. rehab)
The structures of the female reproductive system develop and grow in response to which hormones?
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
Age or decline in hormones can cause the female reproductive structures to do what?
- Atrophy
- Become less effective
What is the uterus responsible for?
- Receiving, implanting, and retaining a fertilized egg
- Menstruation
- Housing the fetus
- Expulsion of the fetus during a vaginal birth
Where is the female egg fertilized by the sperm?
Fallopian tube
What is the endometrium? What happens to the endometrium during menstruation?
- Vascular lining of the uterus
- Layers of the endometrium are shed during menstruation
What dilates or stretches during a vaginal birth?
Cervix
What is produced by the ovaries?
Ova (eggs)
What are the ovaries responsible for?
- Ovulation
- Hormone production
The vagina is a passageway for what?
- Menstrual flow
- Childbirth
Mammary glands are made up of what?
Lobules
Dimpling to the breast tissue may indicate what?
Malignancy (i.e. breast cancer)
Nodules or masses within the breast are always considered what?
Cancerous
Growth of the breasts is stimulated by what?
Estrogen
What are the functions of the breasts?
- Lactation
- Sexual arousal
Anatomically, where are the mammary glands found?
Between the second and the sixth rib
What is menarche? What is the average age for menarche?
- First menstrual period
- 13 years old
What is puberty?
Transition between childhood and sexual maturity
What is the purpose of the menstrual cycle?
Prepares the uterus for pregnancy
How long does bleeding last during a menstrual period? What is the amount of blood lost during a menstrual period?
- Five days
- 50 mL
What is the average length of the menstrual cycle? What factors influence the menstrual cycle?
- 28 days
- Physical, emotional and environmental factors
What are prostaglandins (PGs)? Where are prostaglandins (PGs) produced?
- Oxygenated fatty acids (i.e. hormones)
- Produced in uterus
What do prostaglandins (PGs) play a key role in?
- Moderate hormonal activity
- Ovulation
What is climacteric menopause?
Transition phase between ovarian function and the decrease in hormone production
What is menopause? When can menopause occur?
- Last menstrual period
- Noted after one full year of no bleeding
- Can occur between 35 and 60 years of age
- Average age of menopause is 51.4
What happens in the four years prior to menopause?
- Decrease in ovarian function
- Decrease in the amount of ova released
- Decrease in shedding of the uterus
What are the two main female hormones?
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
How are gender issues a barrier in healthcare?
- Females may only want to see female providers
- Males may only want to see male providers
The average age for a female to first engage in sexual intercourse is what?
17 years old
Women who become pregnant over the age of thirty-five are at an increased risk for what?
- Congenital anomalies (i.e. down syndrome)
- Genetic anomalies
How much folic acid should a childbearing woman intake per day?
400 mcg
Specifically related to gynecology and obstetrics, what medical conditions are considered risk factors to a woman’s health?
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Pre-term labor
- Ovarian cysts
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
List lifestyle risk factors that have have a negative impact on the mother or on the fetus.
- Unprotected sex
- Female genital mutilation
- Human trafficking
- Domestic violence
- Environmental or work place hazards
How does the nurse know who to screen for anxiety and depression?
You don’t! Screen everyone!
Substance abuse is considered what?
Anything from caffeine to cocaine
Before performing any type of invasive procedure or exam, such as a pelvic exam, the nurse should obtain what?
Consent
What position is the woman placed in when receiving a pelvic exam?
Lithotomy position
What screening, or exam, is used for cervical cancer?
Pap smear
Specimens can be collected to test for what specific infections?
- Candida
- Bacterial vaginitis
- Group B Strep
- Gonorrhea
- Chlamydia
- HSV (Herpes)
When obtaining a reproductive health history from a woman, the nurse should always do what?
Explain the purpose for the questions asked and how the information will be used
What is amenorrhea?
Absence of menstrual flow
Amenorrhea is noted if
- Menarche and secondary sexual characteristics are not present by age 13
- Absence of mensis by age 15 with normal growth and development
- Absence of mensis within 5 years of breast development
Secondary amenorrhea occurs when what?
A woman experiences menstruation and then menstruation ceases for 6+ months
What lab value is assess to determine pregnancy?
HCG
In the female athlete triade the nurse will assess for what?
- Osteoporosis
- Amenorrhea
- Insufficient nutrition
What is dysmenorrhea?
Pain during or shortly before menstruation
Severe dysmenorrhea can be associated with what?
- Early menarche
- Nulliparous
- Lack of physical exercise
What occurs during primary dysmenorrhea?
Excessive release of prostaglandins
When prostaglandins are released, they cause what?
Arterioles within the uterus to spasm
What are the treatments options for primary dysmenorrhea?
- Apply heat to abdomen
- Exercise
- Relaxation techniques
- Low sodium, low fat diet
- Vitamin E supplements
What drug provides optimal relief for primary dysmenorrhea?
NSAIDS
What is secondary dysmenorrhea?
Menstrual pain acquired later in life (after 25 years old)
What are the signs and symptoms of secondary dysmenorrhea?
- Bloating
- Pelvic fullness
- Pain in the legs or lower back
What are the causes of secondary dysmenorrhea?
- Pelvic pathology (i.e. endometriosis)
- Fibroid development in pelvic cavity
What symptoms will be seen in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)?
Cyclic symptoms
List the cyclic signs and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
- Fluid retention
- Pelvic fullness
- Breast tenderness
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Irritability
- Cravings
- Headache
- Fatigue
What are the treatment or management options for premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
- Healthy diet
- Exercise
- Relaxation
- Quit smoking
- Encourage supplements
What supplements may be beneficial in relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
- Calcium
- B6
- D3
What is endometriosis?
- Presence and growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus
- Can occur anywhere in the body
List the signs and symptoms of endometriosis?
NOTE: Need to know these!
- Dysmenorrhea
- Painful intercourse that can progress overtime
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Infertility
What are the management options for endometriosis?
- NSAIDS
- Medications that suppress estrogen
- Birth control
- Surgery
Why is a women with endometriosis prescribed birth control? How long is it usually prescribed?
- Decrease adhesions
- Reduce pain
- 6 to 12 months
What is the definitive cure for endometriosis?
Abdominal hysterectomy (complete removal of uterus)
What are the physiological characteristics of menopause?
- Anovulation
- Menstrual cycle lengthens
- Ovulation occurs less frequently
- Progesterone is not produced
- Elevated FSH
List the physical changes associated with menopause.
- Lighter or heavier bleeding
- Vaginal atrophy
- Decrease in libido
- Vaginal dryness
- Incontinence
- Vasomotor instability (hot flash)
- Changes in mood or behavior
What are the health risks of perimenopausal women?
- Osteoporosis
- Coronary artery disease
Why are perimenopausal women at an increased risk for developing osteoporosis?
- Decreased levels of estrogen
- Estrogen is responsible for converting Vitamin D to calcitonin
Hormonal therapy increases a woman’s chance of developing what?
- Breast cancer
- Increases risk for developing breast cancer up to 5 years after stopping hormonal therapy
What are the signs and symptoms of hormonal therapy?
- Headache
- N/V
- Brown spots on skin
- Depression
What medications are used in menopausal hormonal therapy?
- Estrogen
- Estrogen and Progesterone Combo
- SSRI
- Gabapentin
- Clonidine
What supplements have been found effective as alternative therapies for menopausal symptoms?
- Soy
- Vitamin E
What nursing management should be provided to a menopausal woman?
- Sexual counseling
- Well balanced diet
- Exercise
- Medication education
- Encourage support groups
What is micromastia?
-Underdevelopment of breast tissue
What is macromastia?
- Large, heavy breasts
- Women often complain of back and shoulder pain
What are developmental anomalies of the breast?
- Noticeable change in size of breasts
- Breasts are asymmetrical
- Can cause difficulty breastfeeding
What are the two initial evaluation goals in relation to the pathophysiology of benign breast disease?
1) Distinguish between benign and malignant
2) Assess the risk of breast cancer
What is the most common benign problem of the breast?
Fibrocystic changes
Fibrocystic changes are related to an imbalance of what?
Estrogen and progesterone
What are the clinical manifestations of cystic masses?
- Lumpiness with or without pain
- Pain may be noticed around time of menstrual cycle
Breast pain related to fibrocystic changes is most common around what time?
- One week before menstruation or one week after menstruation
- Most common in younger women
List characteristics of fibrocystic masses of the breast.
- Moveable
- Soft
- Well differentiated
Breast pain is also known as what?
Mastalgia
Breast pain is _____ in breast cancer.
Uncommon
What are the risk factors for developing cellulitis of the breast?
- Obesity
- Macromastia
- Previous surgeries to or around breast
- Radiation
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Nipple piercings
What percentage of breast lumps are discovered by the patient?
90%
When is the breast self exam (BSE) best performed?
- 5 to 7 days after menstrual period every month
- Perform in same pattern every time
Clinical breast exams ,performed by a healthcare provider, should begin in a woman’s _____. Routine mammograms should be conducted every year after a woman turns _____.
- Twenties
- Forty
What are the three most important nursing actions related to benign breast conditions?
1) Discuss intervals for breast screening
2) Provide written education
3) Therapeutic communication
What are the risk factors for developing breast cancer?
- Early menarche
- Family history
- Non-hispanic white
- Nulliparous
The presence of BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genetic mutations tells a woman what?
She has an 85% chance of developing breast cancer
If BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations are present, but the woman exhibits no signs or symptoms of breast cancer development, the physician will recommend she do what?
-Have biannual breast exams with imaging
Chemoprevention be given when what two factors are present?
- Genetic mutations are present
- Extensive family history is present
___ in ___ women will develop a breast malignancy.
1 in 8
What is the survival rate for breast cancer or breast malignancy?
83% for ten years after diagnosis
Nipple carcinoma is often connected with what disease?
Paget’s disease
Inflammatory breast cancer is often _____.
Misdiagnosed
Inflammatory breast cancer is often mistaken for what conditions?
- Mastitis
- Cellulitis
Inflammatory breast can usually presents as a stage ____. It is _____ _____.
- Two
- Very aggressive
The most common type of breast cancer is what?
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
The rate of breast cancer growth depends on the effects of what?
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
What are the four common places that breast cancer will spread to?
- Bones
- Lungs
- Brain
- Liver
What is the gold standard for diagnosing breast cancer?
- Mammogram
- Not 100%
What is a lumpectomy?
Removal of tumor and small margin of healthy tissue that surrounds it
What is a mastectomy? When is this option utilized
- Removal of breast including nipple and areola
- Most invasive
- Utilized when other treatment therapies have not worked or the patient has a very large/multiple tumors
When would a prophylactic mastectomy be done?
- Patient presents with genetic mutations
- Patient has strong family history of breast cancer
Radiation is considered what? It is often performed in addition to what surgeries?
- Most conservative approach
- Lumpectomy
- Mastectomy
Radiation can cause what?
- Fatigue
- Heaviness to the breast
- Irritation
Women taking the oral anti-estrogen medication Tamoxifen will follow these specific guidelines:
- Annual pap smear
- Annual eye exam
- Liver function tests every six months
- Bone density screening every three years
What are the adverse affects of Tamoxifen?
- Weight gain
- Hot flashes
- Higher risk for developing deep vein thrombosis
What is the most common type of therapy for tumors? How is it administered?
- Chemotherapy
- IV, SubQ, PO
The nurse should not perform these actions on the side of the body where a mastectomy has been performed?
- Take blood pressure
- Insert an IV
- Draw blood
Women under the age of 40 who develop breast cancer are at an increased risk for what?
Recurrence later in life
When assessing for breast cancer, the nurse always wants to assess for?
- Unilateral changes
- Changes that only affect one breast