Obstetrics Flashcards
What is the main purpose of antenatal care?
Identify mothers who do need medical attention, to prevent maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality
Name some components of preconceptual care that mothers should do
- Health check (treat any undetected problems such as cervical smear abnormalities or cardiac disease)
- Optimize health in women with chronic disease (e.g ensure that there is strict preconceptual glucose control in diabetics)
- Optimize medication for pregnancy (e.g epileptic medications)
- Routine folic acid
What is the purpose of routine folic acid?
Reduced chance of neural tube defects
When should the booking visit be?
Before 10 weeks gestation
Name 5 risk factors in women that can increase the chance of complications happening during pregnancy
- Age (less than 17 and more than 35 have increased risk of obstetric and medical complications)
- Past obstetric complications have a significant recurrence rate (e.g SGA, stillbirth, postpartum haemorrhage)
- Past gynaecological surgery may influence delivery options
- PMH : hx of HTN, DM, autoimmune, haemoglobinopathy, thromboembolic disease, cardiac or renal disease
- contraindicated drugs
- FHx (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia)
What examination do you do at booking visit / what screening can you offer?
Examination
- BMI
- Baseline BP
- Find out if woman is at increased risk of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia
- Ask about mood
- Blood group and serum antibodies
Offer early gestational scan (10+0 - 13+6 gestation)
If woman says yes to screening
- Bloods (FBC for anaemia, haemaglobinopathies, red cell alloantibodies, syphilis, HIV, hep B)
- Urine (MC&S, urinalysis for protein, glucose and nitrites)
- Down’s Syndrome screening (combined test : USS at 11+0 - 13+6 weeks for nuchal translucency test plus bloods [beta-hCG and pregnancy associated plasma protein A])
- Offer the 20 week anomaly scan
Why do we microscopy and culture urine at booking?
To assess if there is any underlying asymptomatic bacteriemia as this can commonly lead to pyleonephritis in pregnant women
For a nulliparous woman how many antenatal appointments will she have?
- Booking
- 16 weeks
- Anomaly scan (18-20 weeks)
- 25 weeks
- 28 weeks
- 31 weeks
- 34 weeks
- 36 weeks
- 38 weeks
- 40 weeks
What happens at 16 week appointment
- Review and discuss and record the results of the screening and identify women who need extra care
- If they booked late and still want the chromosomal abnormalities screening you can offer the serum screening (triple) test at 15 weeks - 20+0
- If anaemic consider starting iron supplement
- BP and test urine for protein
What happens at the 20 week scan
Sonographer is looking for structural abnormalities. Specifically looking for 11 rare conditions.
If placenta is seen to be low, further scan at 32 weeks
What happens at 25 week antenatal appointment
Nulliparous appointment
Routine BP and urine for proteinuria
Measure fundal height
What blood tests do women get at the 28 week antenatal appointment?
FBC - anaemia
Group and Save - blood group
Serum antibodies
Offer anti-D prophylaxis for Rhesus negative women
What happens at 31 week antenatal appointment
Nulliparous
BP + urine
Fundal height
What happens at 34 week antenatal appointment
Offer 2nd dose of anti-D to Rhesus negative women
BP and urine
Fundal height
What happens at the 36, 38 and 40 week antenatal appointments?
- BP and urine
- Fundal height
- Check fetal lie and presentation. If baby is breech refer for external cephalic version (ECV)
What happens at 41 week antenatal appointment?
Offer membrane sweep, induction of labour
BP + urine
Fundal height
What babies can have extra growth scans?
If doctor is concerned about baby’s growth can arrange for serial growth scanning.
If baby is below the 3rd centile - growth scans from 28 weeks every 4 weeks up until delivery
If baby is abover 3rd centile - growth scans from 32 weeks every 4 weeks
What dose of vitamin D are pregnant women advised to take?
10 micrograms a day
When can the combined test be offered?
11 + 0 up to 13 +6