O&G Cases 2,3, 10,12,16 Flashcards
What are the causes of bleeding in early pregnancy?
- Miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Molar pregnancy
- Gynaecological issues
- Implantation bleeding or hormonal bleeding
What are the types of gynaecological bleeding in early pregnancy?
- Cervical: polyps, ectropion (outwards extension of the cervix towards vagina), cancer
- Vaginal: Trichomonas vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, foreign body, vaginal tumours
- Bleeding disorders: Thrombocytopenia, haemophilia, Von Willebrand disease
- Drug induced: Heparin, Aspirin, Warfarin
What is implantation bleeding?
- Physiological bleeding you get when the fertilised egg implants on the decidua of the uterus.
- Happens 10-14 days after fertilisation.
What features of a history do you want to ascertain in an early pregnancy bleeding scenario?
Quantify bleeding: How long, Severity/quantity, Character; clots/flowing, Timing/ associated symptoms.
SOCRATES
O&G: LMP, Antenatal screens, G/P, Gynae hx, Contreceptive, Smear Hx
General Hx: Bleeding disorders, Med Hx
What features of a exam do you want to ascertain in an early pregnancy bleeding scenario?
End of the bed O-Gram: Stable?, Anaemic?, BP, HR, RR, O2 sats,
Abdo exam: Surgical pathology, Gynae pathology
Pevlic exam: Speculum, View cervic; Discharge, dilations, lesions, polyps, gestational tissue
Bimanual: Cervical motion tenderness, adnexal masses or tenderness, uterine size
Why is a speculum important?
Speculum:
View cervix for Discharge, dilations, lesions, polyps, gestational tissue
What investigations can you do for a women in early pregnancy with bleeding?
Bloods: b-hcg, FBC, Iron studies, Group and screen, Urinanalysis, Swabs, Coagulation screen
TVUSS: Location, viability, Pelvic free fluid
Assessment and resuscitation of an acutely unwell woman who
presents with pain and/or bleeding in early pregnancy?
- ABC
Discuss with on call O and G consultant/Reg - IV fluids
- Tranexamic acid
- bHCG, FBC, Group and Hold, urine, swabs
- Give 1 unit of blood if required
How do we use βHCG and ultrasound to make a diagnosis of early pregnancy viability and location?
bHCG
- Viable pregnancy bHCG levels should rise rapidly (almost doubling every 2-3 days) until 8-10 weeks. Then it should start to decline.
Ultrasound
Empty gestational sac = non-viability
If an embryo is seen with crown rump length (CRL) of 7mm or more we expect to see a heartbeat - defined as a viable pregnancy. If a heartbeat is not seen, this is sadly defined a non-viable pregnancy
What are the tx options for an expectant miscarriage?
- Wait and see, review after one week 🡪 repeat HCG then
- Advantage: natural and no medical or surgical intervention needed.
- Disadvantage: Women will go home unmonitored.
- Surgical evacuation needed if not completed by 4 weeks.
Whats the medical management for a miscarriage?
- Misoprostol (800 mcg) 🡪 give another dose if not completed by 72 hours
- Follow up USS required on day 8. If miscarriage not completed, then surgical evacuation required.
Whats the surgical management for miscarriage?
- Suction curettage: GA or local anaesthetic with sedation.
May be given buccal misoprostol (400mcg) preoperatively to soften cervix.
Advantage: Instant procedure. Woman doesn’t go home unmonitored because she is treated at hospital
Disadvantage: risk of damage to cervix, rupture of uterus, adhesions and scarring.
What specific points for their ongoing and future care will you discuss with a woman who has an
early pregnancy loss?
Miscarriage - Support and counselling.
Medical aspects:
- Vaginal bleeding can persist up to several weeks after a miscarriage. Should be advised to seek help if heavy bleeding, abdominal pain, or fever develops.
- Rhesus negative women should be administered an injection of anti D.
- Menses should resume within 6 weeks. Next pregnancy can be attempted when the patient feels emotionally ready.
What are the treatment options for management of an ectopic pregnancy?
Medical management
-IM methotrexate
Surgical management
-Laparoscopy – less blood loss, shorter duration of hospital stay
-Laparotomy
What specific points for their ongoing and future care will you discuss with a woman who has had an ectopic pregnancy terminated?
- Wait 3 months if received methotrexate
- Post surgery or expectant, wait two full menstural periods
- Recurrence 12-27%, 65% normally healthy
What is recurrent miscarriage? What is the main treatable cause of recurrent miscarriage?
- Consecutive loss of three or more early pregnancies. Occurs in 1% of couples.
- Antiphospholipid syndrome is the most treatable cause.
- Blood test needed to detect the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies to diagnose antiphospholipid syndrome
What is a molar pregnancy?
Hydatidiform mole (also known as molar pregnancy) is a subcategory of diseases under gestational trophoblastic disease, which originates from the placenta and can metastasize.
1) Complete hydatidiform mole: enucleated egg fertilized by 2 sperms. This results in only paternal DNA being expressed
2) Partial hydatidiform mole: A normal egg is fertilised by 2 sperms.
How do you manage a molar pregnancy?
- Dilatation and curettage (D and C)
- Hysterectomy
- Chemotherapy (if bHCG lvls remain elevated after above procedures
What are the indications for anti-D prophylaxis in early pregnancy?
- Chorionic villus sampling
- Miscarriage
- Abortion (medical after 10 weeks of gestation or surgical)
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Molar pregnancy
What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
Severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy leading to weight loss, ketouria and electrolyte abnormalities
How would you distinguish between hyperemesis gravidarum and ‘normal morning sickness’?
Morning sickness normally resolves between 12-20 weeks.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is characterised by persistent vomiting, weight loss of more than 5%, ketouria, electrolyte abnormalities (hypokalaemia) and dehydration.
What features of the history and examination of a woman with nausea and vomiting during
pregnancy might indicate that admission and/or intravenous rehydration is required?
weight loss of more than 5%, ketouria, electrolyte abnormalities (hypokalaemia) and dehydration.
What are the important ‘not-to-be-missed’ diagnoses (vomiting)– both differentials and causes of serious
morbidity?
Hyperemesis gravidarum should be distinguished from other conditions that may cause persistent vomiting, such as hepatitis, pancreatitis, pyelonephritis, peptic ulcer disease, thyroid disease and adrenocortical insufficiency.
- N&V commencing after 12 weeks is unlikely to be pregnancy related.
What investigations would you consider when assessing a patient with hyperemesis gravidarum?
Justify each one.
- Midstream urine microscopy to exclude a urinary tract infection
- Ultrasound to exclude trophoblastic disease or multiple pregnancy
- TSH if there is suspicion of thyrotoxicosis
- Electrolytes and liver function tests
What are evidence-based therapies for hyperemesis gravidarum?
- Metoclopramide
- Antihistamiens
- Cyclazine
- Prochlorperazine
- Odansetron
- Pyridoxine
+/- Corticosteroids
+/- acid reducing agents
What is post-partum heamorrhage?
Primary: Blodd loss greater than 500mls through genital tract within 24hrs of birth