Nursing Care during Labor Flashcards
T/F
Exact cause of labor onset is not clearly understood
True.
We know that during late pregnancy the myometrium is triggered to begin labor somehow.
How can infections affect onset of labor?
If a woman has an infection, they are more likely to have preterm labor.
Explain the Progesterone Withdrawal Theory for onset of labor
Progesterone quiets the uterus & so around labor we have less of progesterone for the uterus & so labor starts
What is the Prostaglandin hypothesis for onset of labor
Prostaglandins can ripen or soften the cervix. Such as Prostaglandin E which responds to Oxytocin in order for labor to initiate.
How can the fetal role affect onset of labor
Baby’s with part of brain missing or anencephaly will go past 41 weeks.
The hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal cortex may play a role here.
What does it mean to be a Premonitory sign of labor?
Early sign of labor.
Your patient who is a primipara or first PG mom had lightening (dropping) occur recently but your other multipara mom has not. What type of labor sign is this? And why are there lightenings so different?
The lightening is an early sign of labor or premonitory.
First time PG mothers experience lightening earlier on around 38 weeks.
Multipara mothers have lightening closer to term since they’ve been PG before.
Patient complains of her urinary frequency returning. You tell her this is a sign of what?
Urinary frequency can be related to lightening putting pressure on bladder & therefore could be a premonitory sign of labor.
Patient asks if she’ll have contractions in early on in labor. What do you say?
PG women will have Braxton hicks contractions as a premonitory sign of labor but she won’t be able to feel them until it is closer to labor. They are actually good.
You check your patients cervix and notice it is ripening. What does this mean?
Ripening is a premonitory sign of labor and it just means the cervix has softened.
Your patient has Leukorrhea present and then you tell them that eventually they will experience something known as a “bloody show”. What is Leukorrhea? And how does that progress to blood?
Both are premonitory signs of labor.
Leukorrhea is a when there’s extra mucus discharge in PG to help flush out bacteria.
When closer to labor, the mucus will become blood tinges due to ruptured capillaries being stretched and thus rupture. As labor progresses, the bloody show will become heavier.
What is SROM? What type of labor sign is it?
Spontaneous rupture of membrane which is a premonitory or early sign of labor.
Your patient reports having lots of energy & wanting to get their home ready for the baby. What do you tell them?
Tell them their burst of energy is a premonitory sign of labor & that they need to save that energy for when she goes into labor by resting. Needs an energy reserve.
Your PG patient reports losing 3 pounds. What do you do?
Due to hormone loss, they release tissue fluid as a premonitory sign of labor.
PG patient reports back ache along with diarrhea & n/v. What could this mean?
All of them are premonitory signs of labor. Back ache occurs to fetus dropping. The GI symptoms may even make them think they have the flu due to uterus stimulating the bowel.
True or false labor:
contractions are irregular with no obvious pattern of shortening of intervals in between them
false labor
True or false labor:
contractions stay around the same intensity
false labor since they dont change in intensity
True or false labor:
while having contractions, the discomfort is in the abdomen
false labor since the area that hurts is the abdomen
True or false labor:
while having contractions you are still able to walk fine without increased pain
false labor since walking doesn’t change intensity
True or false labor:
no dilation present or effacement
false labor. both would be present
True or false labor:
resting and taking a warm bath helps with contraction intensity
false labor since the bath helps them.
True or false labor:
contractions are coming at regular intervals but there is a pattern where relaxation periods get shorter therefore contractions are longer
true labor
True or false labor:
pain starts in back and makes its way to the abdomen too
true labor since it is in the back too
True or false labor:
walking makes the contractions hurt more
true labor since walking makes it more intense
True or false labor:
cervix is dilated and effacement is present
true labor
True or false labor:
rest & bubble bath didn’t make contractions decrease
true labor
What happens upon admission to hospital?
First part/check in
Second part/if she’s really in labor
Will need to get history by looking at prenatal record. But will also need to get current history.
We will do a quick physical assessment but also run through a psych history and cultural assessment.
Of course they’ll need to check if she’s actually in labor by doing her labor status exam with the monitor and do cervical exam.
They’ll check her membrane & then check the fetus status.
Afterwards, they discuss the birth plan.
Early labor may be sent home if they’re there too early. No reason to lay in bed at the hospital.
Evaluating the BOW status:
What subjective data will she tell you?
Objective data
- Nitrazine
- Ferning
- Pooling
- ROM plus
- AFI
May say she felt a gush of fluid or that she feels wet.
Nitrazine golden ph test that will turn blue if amniotic fluid is detected (which means rupture).
Ferning can give you an idea of fertile mucus now present which only happens in PG if a rupture
Speculum used to check for pooling means rupture
Rom plus lab test for rupture
AFI is amniotic fluid index being low means a rupture (use a sonogram).
Fetal Status:
What do you check for when you look at the FHR monitor?
How to check for presentation & position?
What should you remember about fetal activity?
What types of ruptures are there?
What about the ruptured liquid? What if it is green? What if its red?
Check their baseline FHR, variability, accelerations, and decelerations.
Do Leopold Maneuver with hands
Remember they sleep in 20 min cycles.
SROM & AROM
Check for cloudy or clear liquid. If it is green, then it is meconium & means distress.
If the liquid is grossly bloody that can mean internal bleeding.
What are the 9 P’s for?
Progressing of Labor
Passenger
Passageway
Passenger is fetus and placenta
Passageway is birth canal
Powers
Position
Powers are contractions
Position is of the mother in labor - do better on their side, upright, walking, tilted compared to on back
Psychologic response
Place of birth
Can be different in everyone. Some people have been taking classes.. some have not.
Some want to be in hospital, birth center, at home 1%.
Hospitals do try to feel like home though.
Provider
Procedures utilized during birth
….
Procedures like blocks, meds, whirlpool
Gynecoid pelvis
Optimal pelvis for birth that is shaped like a heart
Android pelvis
Male pelvis
Not ideal for vaginal delivery of normal sized fetus. May need a c-section.
Anthropoid pelvis
Narrow & not ideal for vaginal delivery. May need c section.
Platypeloid pelvis
Long transverse with a mid pelvis reduced.
How must baby’s present for vaginal births
Biparietal diameter
Head down & we will sonogram the mother to make sure this is the case once she’s arrived on the floor. Head is often widest.
Biparietal diameter is largest part of head which is from ear to ear.
Fetal attitude? What should it be?
Relationship of fetal parts to others and should be a complete flexion
What are suture lines?
Types of Fontanels?
spaces between the bones
Anterior fontanel is a diamond shape. Last to close. Around 18 months or by walking age.
Posterior is triangular shaped. Closes around 2 months.
Fontanels are important so bones can overlap & compress in labor to mold and adapt to birth canal. Will be a cone-head if in labor a long time.
^ goes away around a day or so. Let dad know lol.