Normal pregnancy

Question 1

What is gravidity?

Answer 1

Number of times a woman has been pregnant

Question 2

What is parity?

Answer 2

Number of times a woman has given birth

Question 3

What is the normal duration of pregnancy?

Answer 3

40 days

Question 4

What is pre-term birth?

Answer 4

Live birth before the completion of 37 weeks (< 37 0/7) of pregnancy

Question 5

What is post-term birth?

Answer 5

Live birth after 42 weeks (> 42 0/7) of pregnancy

Question 6

What are the stages of pregnancy (+ weeks)

Answer 6

First trimester (week 1–13): highest risk of miscarriage 
 Second trimester (week 14–26)
 Third trimester (week 27–40)

Question 7

What happens in day 0 of pregnancy?

Answer 7

(Capacitation) Maturation of the sperm in the female genital tract
(Fertilization (conception)) usually occurs in the upper end of the fallopian tubes (within 1 day of ovulation)
Consists of 2 phases: the acrosome reaction (dissolution of the spermatic cell membrane and the zona pellucida of the ovum) and impregnation (penetration of the sperm into the ovum)
(Conjugation) fusion of the sperm and ovum to form the zygote (single cell)

Question 8

What happens in day 1-5 of pregnancy?

Answer 8

The zygote travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus
Division of the zygote into the morula (16-cell mass) and then the blastocyst
The blastocyst consists of 2 cell layers: the outer trophoblasts and the inner embryoblasts

Question 9

What happens in day 6 of pregnancy?

Answer 9

Implantation of the blastocyst (most commonly into the anterior or posterior wall of the uterus )
This may result in brief implantation bleeding

Question 10

What happens in day 6-12 of pregnancy?

Answer 10

Formation of the uteroplacental unit
The trophoblast further divides into the syncytiotrophoblast, which is involved in the development of the placenta, and the cytotrophoblast, which forms the chorionic cavity, which surrounds the embryoblast.
Syncytiotrophoblast begins secreting hCG
The maternal circulation is connected with the placental circulation
The bilaminar embryonic disc develops (2 layers): epiblast and hypoblast

Question 11

What happens in week 3 of pregnancy?

Answer 11

Gastrulation: formation of the trilaminar embryonic disc (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm)
The neural plate begins to form from the neuroectoderm.

Question 12

What happens in week 3-8 of pregnancy?

Answer 12

Embryogenesis (process by which the embryo develops during the first eight weeks after fertilization. During this period, most of the major organ systems form)

Question 13

What happens after week 9 of pregnancy?

Answer 13

Fetogenesis (process by which the fetus develops after the first eight weeks after fertilization (i.e., after the embryonic period). During this period, the organ systems continue to mature, and the fetus continues to grow)

Question 14

What are the clinical features of pregnancy?

Answer 14

Amenorrhoea
Nausea and vomiting 
Breast enlargement and tenderness 
Hyperpigmentation of the areola and formation of linea nigra 
Increased urinary frequency
Fatigue

Question 15

How is pregnancy diagnosed?

Answer 15

Pregnancy test: measurement of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG)
(Home testing) less sensitive, detected after 14 days in urine
(Serum beta-hCG test) quantitative, high sensitivity
Beta-hCG level of 1,500–2,000 mlU/mL → pregnancy visible with transvaginal ultrasound

Question 16

What is gestational age + embryonic age?

Answer 16

(Gestational age) the age (in weeks and days) of the fetus calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period
(Embryonic age:) the age (in weeks and days) of the fetus calculated from the day of conception (fertilization)

Question 17

How is day of delivery estimated?

Answer 17

Naegele’s rule (First day of the last menstrual period + 7 days + 1 year - 3 months)
Ultrasound (Measurement of the crown-rump length (CRL) + Measurement of biparietal diameter, femur length, and abdominal circumference)