Module 2: Vinod Flashcards
What are the 4 newborn physiological adaptations required at birth?
- respiratory system
- cardiovascular system
- thermal adaptation
- metabolic adaptation
What factors can influence effective ventilation (4)?
- The infant must clear amniotic fluid from the lungs.
- Surfactant must be adequate.
- Respiratory musculature must be sufficient.
- The infant must establish a regular pattern of breathing.
- Pulmonary perfusion must match ventilation (VQ matching).
- Increased pulmonary blood flow must occur.
What 4 factors are included for establishment of effective respiration at prior/during birth?
- catecholamine surge that occurs prior to the onset of labour,
- the postnatal decrease in 02 concentration,
-the increase in C02 concentration and - decrease in pH that trigger the respiratory centre,
- the mechanical squeeze on the chest as the infant moves through the vaginal canal, and
- further expansion of the lungs as the infant cries
What are the profound changes that occur in the cardiovascular system during transition from fetal to neonatal life?
fetal circulation:
- high pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and
- low systemic vascular resistance (SVR),
- three shunts: ductus venosus, ductus arteriosus, foramen ovale
At birth:
- the umbilical cord is clamped and the placenta is removed as the organ of gas exchange (along with the ductus venosus), and therefore the lungs must take over this role.
- Fetal fluid must be absorbed and alveoli expanded in order for the lungs to effectively take over oxygenation.
- Mechanical compression of the chest during birth creates negative pressure, drawing air into the lungs, and positive intrathoracic pressure created when the newborn cries keeps alveoli open and forces remaining fetal fluid out of the lungs.
- As oxygen enters the lungs, the pulmonary vascular bed dilates, allowing for increased blood flow to the lungs and decreased pressure in the right atrium.
- The left atrial pressure exceeds the right atrial pressure due to increased pulmonary venous return to the left atrium and less blood flow to the right atrium, which leads to functional closure of the foramen ovale.
- Blood is now following the path of right atrium to right ventricle to lungs
After birth:
- SVR rises and PVR falls, causing a reversal of blood flow through the ductus arteriosus.
-Instead of bypassing the lungs, blood is now sent to the lungs.
- Closure of the ductus arteriosus is due to a rise in P02 concentration after birth and a decrease in circulating prostaglandin levels (from removal of the placenta).
- Closure of the ductus arteriosus happens gradually, with 90% of infants having full closure by 48 hours of age; therefore, in the first days of life, there may be some bidirectional shunting of blood, depending on the levels of PVR and SVR
How is oxygenated blood delivered from placenta to fetus via umbilical vein in the fetal circulation?
- Some of this blood perfuses the liver and some of it bypasses the hepatic system through the ductus venous, a connection between the umbilical vein and the inferior vena cava (IVC).
- Once this oxygenated blood enters the IVC, it is mixed with de-oxygenated blood from the lower body and sent to the right atrium.
- Approximately half of this blood is sent directly to the left atrium through the foramen ovale, while the rest enters the right ventricle.
- The blood flow across the foramen ovale is due to high PVR, ensuring the pressure in the right atrium is higher than the left.
- Most of the blood that makes its way to the right ventricle is shunted across the ductus arteriosus directly into the aorta (again this is due to increased resistance in the pulmonary vessels).
- The remaining approximately 10% of the blood coming from the right ventricle perfuses the lung tissue.
What makes newborns predisposed to heat loss (3)?
- they have a large surface area in relation to their body weight,
- limited body fat, and
- decreased ability to shiver to stay warm
What are 3 of the processes that term infants have available to stay warm?
- increased muscle activity,
- non-shivering thermogenesis (burning brown fat),
- peripheral vasoconstriction
Newborn still rely on caregiver to maintain thermoregulation, what happens if there were no caregiver support?
- infants will use up oxygen and glucose in an effort to produce heat;
- this yields lactic acid and
- can lead to metabolic acidosis, hypoglycemia, decreased surfactant production and poor growth.
Where is Glycogen is stored for use after birth?
- liver
Use of brown fat for heat production is called?
- non-shivering thermogenesis
The use of glucose and oxygen to produce heat produces?
- lactic acid
The connection between the umbilical vein and the inferior vena cava is called the?
- ductus venosus
What signals the ductus arteriosus to close (2)?
- An increase in p02 and a
- decrease in prostaglandin signals the ductus arteriosus to close
What is perinatal asphyxia or intrapartum hypoxia-ischemia?
- When organ of gas exchange fails (placenta or lungs)
- used to describe impaired gas exchange or inadequate blood flow to the fetus/newborn that occurs during labour and delivery
- hypoxia (↓pO2) and hypercapnia (↑pCO2)
- perinatal asphyxia puts all of infants organ systems at risk for damage due to hypoxia and decreased perfusion
What are causes of asphyxia to occur prenatally (3)?
- pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), leading to poor placental function
- placental abruption
- compression of the umbilical cord
- low maternal 02 levels
- low maternal blood pressure
- inadequate relaxation of the uterus during labour
What 2 cues might suggest presence of asphyxia in an infant in utero?
- Fetal heart rate decelerations
- Passage of meconium is also a clue to the presence of asphyxia.
What disorders affect gas exchange in a newborn leading to asphyxia (3)?
- congenital diaphragmatic hernia
- sepsis
- congenital heart defects
- severe anemia
- low blood pressure
- respiratory problems that limit oxygen intake (meconium aspiration, severe RDS)
What are 2 ways infant response to hypoxia to provide their organs with oxygen?
Alteration of blood flow:
- to provide those organs necessary for immediate survival—the brain and the heart—with as much oxygen as possible at the cost of non-vital organs (diving reflex).
- blood is shunted away from non-vital organs such as the lungs, intestines, kidneys, and peripheral vessels.
Tachycardia:
- increase in heart rate is a reflection of the heart’s effort to increase cardiac output in response to the decrease in blood oxygen levels.
- When the heart rate increases, the cardiac output and blood pressure are improved, therefore increasing perfusion and oxygenation
When does infant switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism?
- when oxygen availability is compromised
- Hypoxia and asphyxia alter glucose production and utilization by requiring an increase in glycogeolysis to meet the increased metabolic and energy demands
What is anaerobic metabolism?
- is less efficient than aerobic metabolism and requires significantly more glucose to create energy.
- This rapidly depletes the glucose reserves; this decreased energy production is often inadequate to maintain normal cell processes and leads to the accumulation of lactic acid, which causes metabolic acidosis
- Hypoxia will also lead to hypercapnia (↑CO2) due to the body’s attempt to bring in more oxygen and will result in respiratory acidosis
How is asphyxia characterized?
- Asphyxia is a process characterized by inadequate/insufficinent gas exchange, leading to progressive hypoxia, hypercapnia, and acidosis, which may occur in utero or shortly after an infant is born.
What causes inadequate gas exchange in utero (3)?
- pregnancy-induced hypertension
- abruptio placenta
- cord compression
- apnea at birth
- meconium aspiration
What negative response to the pulmonary system as a result of infant having been asphyxiated (3)?
- Respiratory distress,
- meconium aspiration,
- persistent pulmonary hypertension,
- atelectasis,
- pneumonia
What are 3 negative response to the cardiovascular system as a result of infant having been asphyxiated?
- Congestive heart failure,
- cardiogenic shock,
- hypotension,
- disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)