Obstetrics Flashcards
What is an ectopic pregnancy?
embryo implanted outside the uterus
What is the most common site for ectopic pregnancy?
fallopian tube
What are possible locations for an ectopic pregnancy?
- cornual region (entrance to fallopian)
- ovary
- cervix
- abdomen
What are the risk factors for ectopic pregnancy?
- previous ectopic
- previous pelvic inflammatory
- tubal damage
- IVF
- IUD/IUS/POP
- older age
- smoking
What is the presentation of an ectopic pregnancy?
- missed period
- lower abdominal pain (L/RIF)
- vaginal bleeding
- lower abdo/pelvic tenderness
- cervical motion tenderness (during bimanual) - chandelier sign
- shoulder tip pain (bleeding irritates diaphragm)
- dizziness
What investigations are done for an ectopic pregnancy?
- transvaginal ultrasound scan
- gestational sac containing a yolk sac or fetal pole
What is seen on USS for an ectopic?
- non-specific mass containing empty gestational sac
- blob/bagel/tubal ring sign
- mass moves separately to ovary (corpus lutem would move with ovary)
- empty/fluid filled uterus
What does conservative management of ectopic pregnancy involve?
- for minimal/no symptoms
- repeat β-hCG testing
- unruptured ectopic
- adnexal mass <35mm
- no visible heartbeat
- no significant pain
- hCG < 1500 IU/l
What does medical management of an ectopic pregnancy involve and what are the criteria?
- hCG <5000IU/l
- confirmed absence of IU pregnancy on USS
- IM methotrexate in buttock
- teratogenic - spontaneous termination
What are the side effects of methotrexate?
- vaginal bleeding
- n+v
- abdo pain
- stomatitis
- advised not to get pregnant for 3 months
What are the criteria for surgical management of ectopic pregnancy?
- pain
- adnexal mass >35mm
- visible heartbeat
- hCG >5000 IU/l
What is a salpingectomy?
removal of the fallopian tube (containing the ectopic pregnancy)
What is a salpingotomy?
- used in women with inc risk of infertility due to other damaged tube
- cut made in tube, ectopic removed and tube closed
What is pregnancy of unknown location?
- positive pregnancy test but no intra/extrauterine evidence of pregnancy on transvaginal USS
How is pregnancy of unknown location monitored?
- serum hCG tracked and repeated over 48hrs
- monitor clinical signs or symptoms
What rises in hCG indicate which types of pregnancy?
- rise of > 63% intrauterine pregnancy
- <63% indicates ectopic
- fall of >50% indicates miscarriage
What is a missed miscarriage?
- fetus no longer alive
- no symptoms occurred
What is a complete miscarriage?
- full miscarriage
- no products of conceptions left in the uterus
What is an incomplete miscarriage?
- products of conception retained in the uterus
What is a threatened miscarriage?
- vaginal bleeding
- closed cervix
- fetus is alive
- little/no pain
What are the symptoms of an inevitable miscarriage?
- heavy vaginal bleeding
- pain
- open cervix
How is miscarriage diagnosed?
- transvaginal ultrasound
- mean gestational sac diameter
- fetal pole and crown-rump length
- fetal heartbeat
How does fetal heartbeat affect crown-rump length?
- heartbeat expected when length is 7mm or more
- if less than 7mm, scan is repeated after 1 week to ensure heartbeat develops
- 7mm+ and no heartbeat = non-viable pregnancy
What is an anembryonic pregnancy?
- gestational sac is present
- no embryo
When is a fetal pole seen?
- expected when mean gestational sac diameter is >25mm
- if this is present without a fetal pole:
- repeat scan after 1 week then confirm anembryonic pregnancy
How is a miscarriage of <6 weeks gestation managed?
- expectant management
- awaiting without investigations and treatment
- repeat urine pregnancy test after 3 weeks
- if negative a miscarriage can be confirmed
How is a miscarriage of >6 weeks gestation managed?
- early pregnancy assessment service referral (EPAU)
- arrange USS to confirm location and viability
- consider and exclude ectopic
What is expectant management of a miscarriage?
- 1st line without risk factors for heavy bleeding and pregnancy
- 1-2 weeks to allow it to occur spontaneously
- repeat urine pregnancy after 3 weeks to confirm complete
- persistent/worsening bleeding requires further assessment and repeat USS in case of incomplete miscarriage
What is medical management of a miscarriage?
- misoprostol
- vaginal suppository or oral
- causes heavier bleeding, pain, vomiting, diarrhoea
What is surgical management of miscarriage?
- give misoprostol
- manual vacuum aspiration
- electric vacuum aspiration
How does manual vacuum aspiration work?
- local anaesthetic applied to cervix
- syringe inserted through cervix
- be below 10 weeks gestation
- more appropriate for parous women
How does electric vacuum aspiration work?
- traditional surgical management
- general anaesthetic
- cervix widened with dilators
- pregnancy removed with electric powered vacuum
How is incomplete miscarriage managed?
- retained products carry infection risk
- misoprostol or evacuation
- ERPC using vacuum aspiration and curettage (scraping)
- complication is endometriosis
What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
- vomiting a lot during pregnancy
What are the RCOG guidelines for hyperemesis?
- more than 5% weight loss compared with before pregnancy
- dehydration
- electrolyte imbalance
How is the severity of hyperemesis assessed?
- pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis (PUQE)
- <7 = mild
- 7-12 = moderate
- > 12 = severe
What is the management of hyperemesis?
- antiemetics
1. prochlorperazine
2. cyclizine
3. ondansetron
4. metoclopramide
How is severe hyperemesis managed?
- IV/IM antiemetics
- IV fluids
- KCl for hypokalaemia
- thiamine and folic acid to prevent Wernicke’s encephalopathy
- TED stockings and LmwH
When should admission be considered in hyperemesis?
- unable to tolerate antiemetics
- more than 5% weight loss vs prepregnancy
- ketones present (2+ is significant)
What is the definition of recurrent miscarriage?
- three or more miscarriages
What are the causes of recurrent miscarriage?
- idiopathic
- antiphospholipid syndrome
- hereditary thrombophilia
- uterine abnormalities
- chronic disease: diabetes, SLE, thyroid
- genetic factors
What is PPH?
- post partum haemorrhage
- bleeding after delivering baby and placenta
- most common cause of significant obstetric haemorrhage
How much blood loss is needed to be classified as PPH?
- 500ml after vaginal delivery
- 1000ml after c-section
What is the difference between major and minor PPH?
- Minor: under 1000ml
- Major: over 1000ml
How can major PPH be subclassified?
- Moderate: 1000-2000ml loss
- Severe >2000ml loss
What is the difference between primary and secondary PPH?
Primary: within 24hrs of birth
Secondary: between 24hrs - 12 weeks after birth
What are the causes of PPH (4 T’s)?
- tone (uterine atony)
- trauma (perineal tear)
- tissue (retained POC)
- thrombin (bleeding disorder)
What are risk factors for PPH?
glimperfopp
- general anaesthetic
- large baby
- instrumental delivery
- multiple pregnancy
- prev PPH
- episiotomy
- retained placenta
- failure to progress (2nd stage)
- obesity
- prolonged 3rd stage
- pre-eclampsia
- placenta accreta
What are some preventative measures for PPH?
- treating anaemia during antenatal period
- giving birth w empty bladder
- active management of 3rd stage
- IV tranexamic acid (in 3rd stage C-section in high risk pt)
What is mechanical treatment of PPH?
- rubbing uterus to stimulate contraction
- catheterisation (bladder distention prevents contractions)
What is medical treatment of PPH?
- oxytocin
- ergometrine (IV/IM) stimulates smooth muscle contraction
- carboprost/misprostol: prostaglandin analogues stimulating uterine contraction
- tranexamic acid: antifibrinolytic
What is surgical treatment of PPH?
- IU balloon tamponade: presses against bleeding
- B-lynch suture: suture around uterus to compress
- uterine artery ligation
- hysterectomy
What causes secondary PPH?
- most likely due to retained products of conception or infection
How is secondary PPH investigated?
- USS for RPOC
- endocervical and high vaginal swabs for infection
How is secondary PPH managed?
- surgical evacuation for RPOC
- Abx for infection
What is placental abruption?
when the placental separates from the uterine wall during pregnancy
What does placental abruption lead to?
- site of attachment can bleed
- significant cause of antepartum haemorrhage
What are risk factors for placental abruption?
- prev abruption
- pre-eclampsia
- trauma
- multiple pregnancy
- inc maternal age
- smoking/cocaine
- multiparity/gravida
How does placental abruption present?
- woody, hard uterus
- sudden onset, severe, continuous abdo pain
- vaginal bleeding
- hypovolaemic shock
- dec fetal movements and distress on CTG
How is the severity of antepartum haemorrhage defined?
- spotting: spots on underwear
- minor: <50ml blood loss
- major: 50-1000ml loss
- massive: >1000ml or signs of shock
What is a concealed abruption?
- cervical os remains closed
- bleeding remains within uterine cavity
When are steroids given in placental abruption?
- between 24 and 34+6 weeks
- mature fetal lungs
- in anticipation of preterm delivery
What is the management of abruption?
- FBC, U&Es, LFT, coagulation
- crossmatch 4 units
- CTG of foetus and monitor mother
- fluid and blood resus as required
- senior obstetrician, midwife, anaesthetist
What is placenta praevia?
- low lying placenta, potentially covering cervical os
- lower than presenting part (part of baby to be delivered first - head in cephalic presentation) of the fetus
What is the difference between low-lying placenta and placenta praevia?
- low-lying: within 20mm of os
- praevia: placenta is over os
What can placenta praevia cause?
- antepartum haemorrhage
- emergency c-section
- emergency hysterectomy
- maternal anaemia and transfusion
- preterm birth and low weight
- stillbirth
What are risk factors for placenta praevia?
- prev c-sections
- prev praevia
- older age
- smoking
- uterine abnormalities
- IVF
What are the grades of praevia?
- minor/grade 1: in lower uterus but not reaching os
- marginal/grade 2: reaching but not covering os
- partial/grade 3: partially covering os
- complete/grade 4: completely covering os
What is the presentation of placenta praevia?
- painless bright red vaginal bleeding
- occurs after 24 weeks
What is the management of placenta praevia?
- if diagnosed early:
- repeat transvaginal USS at 32 and 36 weeks
- corticosteroids between 34 and 35+6 weeks to mature fetal lungs
- planned delivery 36-37 weeks
- planned C-section
- emergency c-section if premature labour/antenatal bleeding
What is a perineal tear?
- when external vaginal opening is too narrow for baby
- tearing of skin and tissues
What are risk factors for perineal tears?
- first baby
- large baby (over 4kg)
- shoulder dystocia
- Asian ethnicity
- occipito-posterior position
- instrumental deliveries
How are perineal tears classified?
- 1st degree: frenulum of posterior labia minor and superficial skin
- 2nd: including perineal muscles
- 3rd: including anal sphincter
- 4th: including rectal mucosa
How are 3rd degree tears subcategorised?
- 3a: <50% of ext sphincter affected
- 3b: >50% ext sphincter affected
- 3c: ext and int sphincter affected
What are the short term complications of tears?
- pain
- infection
- bleeding
- wound breakdown
What are the long lasting complications of perineal tears?
- urinary incontinence
- anal incontinence/altered bowel habit (3rd/4th degree)
- fistula between vagina and bowel
- sexual dysfunction and dyspareunia
- psych and mental consequences
What is the management of tears?
- 1st: none
- 2nd: suture
- 3rd/4th: theatre + elective C-section for subsequent pregnancies
- antibiotics
- laxatives
- physio and followup
What is an episiotomy?
- cuts perineum before delivery - anticipation
- 45 degree diagonal from vagina, downwards and laterally
- mediolateral episiotomy
- sutured after delivery
What is perineal massage?
- reduces risk
- massaging skin and tissues
- from 34 weeks
What is shoulder dystocia?
- anterior shoulder becomes stuck behind pubic symphysis after head has been delivered
What is a cause of shoulder dystocia?
- macrosomia (large baby)
- secondary to gestational diabetes
- advanced maternal age
- short stature
- small pelvis
- gestation >42 weeks
How does shoulder dystocia present?
- difficulty delivering face and head
- failure of restitution (baby head remains downwards (occipito- anterior))
- turtle-neck sign: head is delivered then retracts back into vagina
What are complications of shoulder dystocia?
- fetal hypoxia (+ subsequent cerebral palsy)
- brachial plexus injury
- perineal tear
- PPH
Why should fundal pressure not be applied?
- can lead to uterine rupture
- may exacerbate shoulder impaction
- discouraging maternal pushing
What is the 1st line manoeuvre for shoulder dystocia?
- McRobert’s manoeuvre
- hyperflexion of hip to provide posterior pelvic tilt
- knees to abdomen
- moves pubic symphysis out of way