Neonatal Flashcards
Name some perinatal risk factors for paediatric health conditions and give some specific examples
- Maternal health conditions:
- Infections: HIV, HBV, CMV, syphilis, rubella, toxoplasmosis, GBS
- Medications and substances: teratogenic drugs, smoking, alcohol
- Other: malnutrition, obesity, older age
Examples:
- Congenital rubella infection and deafness, cataracts
- Smoking and low birth weight
- Folic acid deficiency and neural tube defects
Define the terms:
- Low birth weight
- Very low birth weight
- Small for gestational age
- Large for gestational age
- LBW: <2500g
- VLBW: <1500g
- SGA: weight <10th centile for gestational age
- LGA: weight >90th centile for gestational age
What are the components of routine antenatal screening?
- Infection screen: HIV, HBV, syphilis
- Blood group screen: ABO, RhD, other ABs
- Haemoglobinopathy screening for high risk areas/based on family origin questionnaire: thalassaemia, sickle cell
-USS and combined screening: for chromosomal abnormalities and congenital anomalies
How would you describe antenatal screening tests to a patient?
- Some tests we do in every pregnancy
- Several tests to help us figure out if there are any health risks to baby
- Allows us to treat you or monitor you and baby to make sure the pregnancy and baby are as healthy as possible
- Several blood tests, looking for infections and blood type, as well as scan of baby to look for any problems
- There is also the choice of combined screening, which is a blood test and a scan that will tell us how likely it is that baby will have a chromosomal abnormality eg. Down’s syndrome
What types of congenital anomalies can be seen on the anomaly scan?
- CNS pathology eg. anencephaly, spina bifida
- Cardiac
- CDH, oesophageal atresia
- Renal eg. hydronephrosis
- Cleft lip
- Hydrops
Give some examples of obstetric complications/conditions that can affect the baby
- Pre-eclampsia: IUGR
- GDM: macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycaemia
- Multiple pregnancies: preterm birth, IUGR, twin-twin transfusion syndrome
How can maternal diabetes affect the baby?
- Macrosomia –> shoulder dystocia
- Neonatal hypoglycaemia
- IUGR
- Polyhydramnios
- Malformation, early fetal loss
How can maternal hyperthyroidism affect the baby?
Graves antibodies can cross the placenta and cause hyperthyroidism in the fetus
How can maternal SLE affect the baby?
Antibodies (Ro and La) can cross the placenta and cause neonatal lupus syndrome (rash, heart block)
How does alcohol use in pregnancy affect the baby?
- Small amounts do not cause fetal alcohol syndrome
- FAS: facies (low nasal bridge, flat philtrum, thin upper lip), developmental delay, microcephaly
Name some specific medications that can affect the fetus and describe the consequences
- Warfarin: microcephaly, haemorrhage
- Lithium: congenital heart disease
- Opiates: neonatal withdrawal syndrome with jitters, irritability, poor feeding, seizures
List maternal infections that can significantly affect the fetus
- HIV and HBV
- Rubella
- Toxoplasmosis
- CMV
- Syphilis
- HSV (during delivery)
- Parvovirus
Describe how rubella affects the fetus
- The effect depends on the gestational age at time of maternal infection
- Worst time is the 1st trimester
- <8 weeks: deafness, CHD, cataracts in 80%
- 13-16 weeks: hearing problems in 30%
- 16-20 weeks: minimal effect eg. blueberry muffin rash
- > 20 weeks: no effect
A 8 week pregnant woman comes to the GP complaining of a rash. It started 2 days ago on the face and is now covering her whole body. She also reports feeling tired and flu-like. There is cervical lymphadenopathy on examination. What is the most important diagnosis to consider and what would you do next?
- It is necessary to investigate rubella infection in any pregnant women with a rubella-like rash
- Want to ask about immunisation history and exposure to rubella in the past several weeks
- Notify the local health protection team as rubella is a notifiable disease, they will advise on testing
- Recommend rest and to avoid any pregnant women
- Refer to fetal medicine for review and counselling
What is the most common congenital infection?
CMV
What is the likelihood of a fetus being affected by CMV?
90% will be completely fine
5% will develop problems later in life eg. hearing loss
5% will have clinical features at birth (hepatosplenomegaly, petechiae, deafness, cerebral palsy, developmental delay)
What is the management of neonates with congenital CMV?
In neonates with severe symptoms: oral valganciclovir/IV ganciclovir to reduce further hearing loss and developmental delay
How is toxoplasmosis contracted? What are the risks to the fetus?
- Through eating infected undercooked meat or the faeces of infected cats
- 10% of fetuses will have symptoms at birth (retinopathy, cerebral calcification, hydrocephalus)
How is congenital toxoplasmosis managed?
- 1 year of pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine and calcium folinate
- Monitor LFTs and FBC every 4-6 weeks
- Ophthalmology + audiology assessment
What are the implications to the fetus of maternal chickenpox/shingles?
- <20 weeks: small risk (<2%) of permanent scarring, damage to eyes/brain and abnormal digits
- Around the time of labour: risk of neonatal infection (rash, dissemination)
A 32 year old nurse attends GP clinic because she has been recently exposed to a patient with shingles at work. She informs you she is 12 weeks pregnant. What do you want to know and how would you manage this case?
- Specific info about the exposure event, including date and contact with the infected individual
- History of VZV infection or immunisation
- Any symptoms (rash, feeling unwell)
Management:
- If significant risk: inform to rest and stay away from any other pregnant women, time off work until 28 days from the time of exposure
- VZV Ig if contact within the last 10 days
A 32 year old nurse attends GP clinic because she has developed a vesicular rash over her body after exposure to a patient with chickenpox at work. She first noticed the rash coming up yesterday afternoon. She informs you she is 12 weeks pregnant. How would you manage this case?
- Consider prescribing oral aciclovir (800mg 5/day for 7 days)
- Advise to stay away from pregnant women or babies until the lesions crust over
- Refer to fetal medicine unit at 16-20 weeks/after 5 weeks for USS
A 33 year old woman attends MAS with regular, painful contractions. She reports feeling a gush of fluids this morning. She is currently being treated for chickenpox, after developing a rash 3 days ago. How would you like to manage this case?
- Because labour is within 7 days of the onset of a rash, baby needs VZV Ig after birth and neonates should be called
- Monitor baby for 28 days from onset of the mums rash
How can congenital syphilis present?
- Can present at the time of birth with low birth weight/preterm birth, rash on the palms + soles
- Or late congenital syphilis, with characteristic features of Hutchinson’s teeth, interstitial keratitis (eyes), deafness, bone + joint deformities
What is the treatment of congenital syphilis?
IM benzylpenicillin
Describe how the fetal circulation changes at birth
- Before birth: oxygenated blood reaches the fetus in the umbilical veins –> liver –> ductus venosus –> IVC –> RA –> LA via foramen ovale to LV to aorta OR RV to pulmonary artery to aorta via ductus arteriosus –> body
- At the time of birth: pressure drop in the pulmonary circulation when baby’s lungs fill with air –> closure of the FO and DA
How does C section affect the baby’s breathing?
- There is no stimulus to cause the fluid to empty from the lungs and stimulate breathing
- Can have transient tachypnoea of the newborn (TTN)
Describe the care of the newborn at the time of birth.
- Immediate skin to skin with mum
- Dry baby, keep warm
- Apgar scores at 1 min and again at 5 mins
- Cord clamping and cutting at 1-5 mins
- Vitamin K injection
How is the Apgar score calculated?
5 domains, scores 0-2 on each
Appearance (colour): cyanosis, peripheral cyanosis, pink
Pulse (HR): 0, <100, 100-140
Grimace: no response, grimace, cry
Activity (tone): floppy, some flexion, well flexed
Respiratory effort: apnoiec, slow breathing, strong cry
Describe the neonatal resuscitation pathway
Birth –>
Dry and warm, bag in <32 weeks –>
Assess tone, breathing, HR (Apgar) –>
**The goal is to aerate the lungs and have baby breathe on their own, and HR increase. If chest moves with the inflation breathes, you have aerated the lungs. Basic pathway: aerate lungs successfully (5 inflation breaths) –> 30 secs ventilation –> chest compressions
If gasping or apnoeic –> open airway, 5 inflation breaths
- -> repeat 5 inflation breaths if not breathing/chest not moving with breaths. Consider having 2 person assistance, suction, etc.
- -> When the chest is moving (aeration successful) continue ventilation for 30 seconds if HR <60
- -> If after 30s HR is still <60, start compressions! (3:1)
What are preductal and postductal saturations? What is the accepted preductal sats in a newborn?
- Preductal: areas where arteries supplying arise before the DA eg. right hand, ear
- Postductal: areas where arteries supplying arise after the DA eg. feet
Accepted preductal sats in newborn:
- 2 mins 60%
- Increase by 10% every min (70, 80) until 85% at 5 mins
What are the patterns of growth restriction? What can they be caused by?
- Symmetrical: head and abdo both small. This can be normal or abnormal caused by conditions present through pregnancy eg. chronic medical condition, infection, chromosomal abnormality
- Asymmetrical: head > abdo. This is abnormal, due to preferential growth of the important areas (brain). Causes are conditions that affect late growth eg. pre-eclampsia, multiple pregnancy
What are the consequences of LBW in the neonatal period? How should this be managed?
- Hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia, polycythaemia
- Keep baby warm, monitor BMs and sats, consider tube feeding/fluids
Describe the NIPE exam
Full physical assessment of the baby done before 72 hours of birth to detect any physical abnormalities that can be monitored or managed
- Head: head shape + size (in cm), ears, fontanelles, eyes (+ red reflex), nose, mouth, palate, suck reflex
- Neck and collarbones
- Arms, hands: tone, grasp reflex, head lag
- Abdo: inspection, heart and breathing, palpation
- Genitals: inspect + anus, femoral pulses
- Legs: DDH (Barlows + Ortolanis), tone, feet
- Back: spine inspection + palpation
- Moro’s reflex
- Hearing test
Describe some normal findings on NIPE exam
-Mongolian blue spot, swollen eyelids, vaginal bleeding, milia, erythema toxicum
On a NIPE exam on the 2nd day of life, a baby girl has positive Barlow’s and Ortolani’s tests. What does this indicate and how should this be managed?
- Indicates hip sublaxation, likely DDH. Arrange USS within 2 weeks
- Refer to paediatric orthopaedics for review
- Observe for 3 weeks and treat if not resolved, with Pavlik’s harness + evaluate at 6 months with Xray
- Surgery as last resort
What are the indications for USS to diagnose DDH?
- Breech presentation at 36/40
- Breech delivery
- Family history of DDH
- –> USS at 6 weeks
On the routine NIPE at 12 hours of life, a soft murmur is heard on auscultation. What features of the CVS exam would reassure you?
- Soft midsystolic murmur
- Not diastolic, no clicks
- No heaves/thrills
- Normal pulses
- Small difference in pre and postductal sats
When should a baby with positive findings on the NIPE (for cardiac murmurs, testicular abnormalities, eye problems) be seen by a specialist?
- Cardiac murmurs: usually within 24 hours and before discharge
- Eye abnormality: within 2 weeks
- Bilateral undescended testes: in 24 hours
- Unilateral undescended testis: review at the infant NIPE at 6-8 weeks
What is screened for on the Guthrie spot test?
- Sickle cell
- Hypothyroidism
- CF
- MSUD
- PKU
- MCADD
- Isovaleric acidaemia
- Glutaric aciduria I
- Homocystinuria
Describe the pathogenesis of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy
In utero, reduced gas exchange (placental problems, umbilical cord prolapse, etc) for a prolonged period of time can lead to fetal asphyxia (oxygen deprivation). This causes hypoxaemia, hypercarbia and a metabolic acidosis. The combination of hypoxia and metabolic acidosis leads to hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.