Neonatal Flashcards
Prematurity defintion
Under 37 weeks gestation
Potential premature rupture of membranes - managenet
Refer to midwife/obstetrics
- USS to check baby; is she going into labour;
- Erythromycin for 10 days to reduce risk of chorioamnionitis + can delay labour
- Give STEROIDS if after 22 weeks (improves baby’s underdevelopment - stimulates surfactent production)
- no point if <22 weeks
What makes a fetus at higher risk from prematurity
Male
Fetal grwoth restriction
Multiple preg
No Anternatal steroids
Steroid course to improve prematurity outcome
12 mg betamethasone, 24 hours apart, hopefully up to 24 hours before delivery
What assements to do for fetus in premature rupture of membranes
Fetal blood flow using Doppler
- absent end diastolic flow (poor outcome)
- reversed end diastolic flow (iminent death)
Mainstays of fetal wellbeing
- Is fetus moving
- Fetal size (size of bump in cm)
- Does baby have heartbeat
probability of premature survival rate
23 ~30%
25 weeks ~70%
28 weeks ~90%
Managment for fetus at high risk of demise
- A few weeks of STEROIDS
- IV MgSO4 (neuroprotection - reduces risk of cerebral palsey if given within 24 hours of birth)
- Consider delivering prem
When is surfactant released from type 2 pneumocytes
After 24 weeks
- lowers surface tension so alveoli don’t collapse
Ie RISK of RDS if born <28 weeks
Chronic lung disease of prematurity lung outcome
Hyperexpanded, diffusion defect, cystic changes
- alveoli don’t grow as much after prem birth
- caused by treatments for RDS
When is brainstem fully myelinated
32 - 34 weeks
Prems forget to breath occasionally (oft associated with bradycardia) because not fully myelinated
Apnoea of prem Tx
- NCPAP and Tactile STIMULATION
- PHOSPHODIESTERASE INHIBITORS ie IV CAFFINE (upregulates cAMP)
Neonatal haemorrhage
- Most commonly occurs in GERMINAL MATRIX (above caudate
nucleus) - Then VENTRICULAR (typically ok if only small amount of blood but has potential for huge amounts of blood to fill the space -> hypovolemic shock or hydrocephalus)
- Parenchymal
- CYSTIC PARIVENTRICULAR LEUKOMALACIA (can’t remodle - typically affects leg motor function but can get a full hemiplegia or even quadreplegia)
Infant benefit of breast milk
Less Infection:
Diarrhoea, Otitis media, Respiratory Syncytical Virus, Respiratory Infections, Enhanced Vaccine Response
Less immune driven/allergic disease:
Wheezing, Childhood cancer, Eczema, Hodgkin’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Diabetes mellitus, Enhanced immunologic development
Reduces risk of NEC
Reduced Reduced SIDS
Reduced Gastroesophageal Reflux
Lower risk of Childhood Inguinal Hernia
Higher IQ
Better Cognitive Development
Maternal benefits of breast feeding
Reduces cancer risk for:
Breast, Uterine, Ovarian, Endometrial
Improved health with less:
Post partum haemorrhage, postnatal depression, Decrease insulin requirements in diabetics, Osteoporosis later in life, Less child abuse
Promotes postpartum weight loss
Optimum child spacing
Less food expense
Less medical expense
More ecological
Delays fertility
Feeding prems
- Nasogastric tube for expressed milk
- PO from a cup once they can swallow
Doesn’t get suckling reflex till 32-34 weeks
Causes of Jaundice in neonates
Unconjugated: high levels cause kernicterus
Caused by: haemolysis, prematurity, sepsis, dehydration, hypothyroid, metabolic disease
High levels treated by phototherapy (blue light, 450 nm) or exchange transfusions
Conjugated: high levels not a worry
Caused by: prolonged parenteral nutrition, NEC, sepsis, metabolic, anatomical problems
When must jaundice be investigated in neonates
If lasting more than 3 weeks
(can leave for 5 weeks if prem as common for prem jaundice)
When does IgG transfer from mum occur
Last 3 months of gestation (prems get less of this + less active cell mediated immunity)
Necrotising enterocolitis
Bacterial invasion + large bowel ischaemia -> mural oedema + intramural gas -> can get perforation
Retinopathy of prem
- Hyperoxic insult (esp from O2 therapy)
- Arrest of normal vascular growth
- Fibrous ridge forms
- Vascular proliferation
- Retinal haemorrhages
- Retinal detachment
- Blindness
If high risk -> laser therapy
Parental help for prems/neonatal complications
Antenatal counselling
Post delivery counselling
Prognostic counselling
Regular updates
Palliative care counselling
Bereavement counselling
Meconium aspiration syndrome
- Triggered by passage of meconium into fetal lungs leading to blockage + inflam of airways
- significant risk of morbidity / mortality - Oft an indication of FETAL DISTRESS + HYPOXIA as these trigger intestinal / anal sphincter relaxation
- prematurly empties bowels into amniotic fluid
- could also just be because the baby is over-term
Meconium Ileus
Thickening of meconium -> obstruction
- commonly early indicator of cystic fibrosis
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome causes what in the neonate?
Initially seen through meconium in amniotic fluid (meconium stained liquor)
- Partial / Total Airway Obs
- potential lung collapse / air trapping
- SHUNTING + V/Q mismatch - Foetal Hypoxia
- Pulm inflam
- Infection
- increased risk of chemical pneumonitis -
Surfactant Inactivation
- due to inflam reaction caused by meconium -> more hypoxia -
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
- pulm vascular bed REMODELS due to hypoxia, vasoactive mediators + V/Q mismatch
Meconium ileus Sx
- Not passing meconium within 1st 24hrs of birth (max 48hrs)
- bilious vomiting
- distended abdo
Meconium Aspiration syndrome Ix
- Assess for meconium stained liquor
- CXR to evaluate lungs:
- INCREASED lung VOLUME
- Asymmetrical patchy pleural opacities
- Pleural EFFUSION
- Pneumo -thorax / - mediastinum
- Multifocal consolidation IF chemical pneumonitis - Bloods:
- FBC; CRP; Cultures
Consider:
- ABG
- Dual pulse oximetry
- Echo
- Cranial US
Meconium ileus
- Clinical exam
- Abdo X-ray / USS to confirm
- SWEAT TEST for CF
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome Mx
Observation + routine care:
- esp keep warm as hypothermia inhib surfactant production
- Potentially :
- O2 monitoring +/- THERAPY +/- Ventilation
- Abx to prevent 2ndry infection
- Surfactant bolus
- Inhaled Nitric Oxide if PULM HTN
Meconium ileus Mx
- Surgery
- Supplemental neutrition
- Mx CF if needed
Pathophys of meconium aspiration syndrome
- Foetal hypoxic stress / VAGAL STIMULATION due to CORD COMPRESSION causes PERISTALSIS
- once aspirated - stimulates release of:
- VASOACTIVE + CYTOKINES -> activates INFLAM pathways
- INHIBITS effects of SURFACTANT
The way it presents will vary depending on composition of meconium + neonate’s health e.g. foetal hypoxia + airway obstruction
RFx for meconium aspiration
- Gestational age > 42 wks
- Foetal distress (tachy/bradycardia)
- Intrapartum HYPOXIA 2ndry to PLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY
- Thick meconium
- Apgar score <7
- Chorioaminonitis +/- Prolonged pre-rupture
- Oligohydroamniosis
- In utero GROWH RESTRICTION
- Maternal conditions:
- HTN, diabetes, pre/eclampsia, smoking, drugs