obstetrical emergency Flashcards
Definition
life-threatening medical problems that
develop during pregnancy, labor, or delivery , after delivery.
Obstetric emergencies that may arise during pregnancy include:
• Miscarriage.
• Ectopic pregnancy. 🫃
• Placental abruption.
• Placenta praevia.
• Preeclampsiaand eclampsia.
• Premature rupture of membranes (PROM).
Obstetrical emergency during Labor
- Shoulderdystocia : where the baby’s shoulders wedge in the
birth canal after the birth of the baby’s head. Depending on its
position, the baby may start to lose oxygen. - Prolapsed umbilicalcord: where the umbilical cord is pushed down into the cervix or vagina before the baby is born. If the cord becomes compressed, the fetus does not receive enough oxygen. The result may be brain damage or even death ( 30 mint ).
- Placentaaccreta: where the placenta is implanted too deeply
in the uterine wall and cannot come out after the baby is born. (( if you try to remove it > hemorrhage))
Obstetrical emergency after labor
• Post partum hemorrhage
• Inversion of the uterus– where a portion of the placenta remains
attached to the uterine wall, and pulls the uterus out.
• Amniotic fuidembolism– where fuid moves from the amniotic sac
(bag of waters) and ends up in the mother’s blood. This very rare
complication can happen during pregnancy but usually occurs during
strong contractions in labour and causes serious complications
including death of the mother.
signs of an obstetric emergency 7.
• Any bleedingduring pregnancy is not normal:
A . Heavy bleeding with severe stomach pain in the frst three months of pregnancy – could be a
sign of ectopic pregnancy
B. Heavy bleeding with cramping in the first three to four months of pregnancy – could be a sign of
miscarriage
C. Bleeding with abdominal pain in the last three months of pregnancy – could be a sign of placental abruption.
• Stomach cramps– could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy.
• Dizziness– could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy or preeclampsia.
• Severe stomach pain– could be a sign of preeclampsia./fits (( hellp syndrome ))
• Rapid increase in blood pressure,possibly signaled by nose bleeds, headache or
dizziness – could be a sign of preeclampsia.
• Blurry vision and headaches– could be a sign of preeclampsia./fits
• Sudden and signifcant swelling of hands, face and feet– could be a sign of preeclampsia.