Obstetrics Flashcards
Pre-Pregnancy Counselling
- Assess past medical, obstetric, and genetic/family history to stabilise pre-pregnancy medical conditions, implement measures to reduce recurrence risk of obstetric conditions and consider pre-implantation genetic diagnosis vs prenatal diagnosis
- Examination including BP, weight, heart sounds, +/- breast exam and Pap smear
- Review current medications Re appropriateness and teratogenic risk
- Vaccination Hx for MMR, DTP and varicella, if incomplete immunity for rubella and varicella consider pre-pregnancy immunisation
- Encourage healthy weight, nutrition, and moderate intensity exercise
- Folic acid 1 month prior to conception and first 3 months of at least 0.4mg daily to prevent NTD (5mg daily if high risk incl anti-convulsant medication, pre-pregnancy DM, previous child or family Hx NTD)
- Iodine supplementation 150mcg daily prior to planned pregnancy
- Smoking, alcohol and illicit drug cessation
- Assess environmental exposures to toxins or radiation
Cervical Length for Prediction of Preterm Birth
Measurement Technique
- Most accurately measured by transvaginal examination
- Empty bladder, probe in the anterior fornix (minimises pressure on the cervix which increases length)
- Length of the endocervical canal measured from the internal to external os
- Three measurements should be made over a five minute period and the shortest measurement reported for clinical use
- Transabdominal assessment with a partially full bladder is a potential first line screening test
- TA cervical length > 35mm precludes a TV cervical length < 25mm with over 95% sensitivity
Cervical Length for Prediction of Preterm Birth
Interpretation
- Median cervical length at 20 weeks is 42mm
- The 1st centile is 23mm
- Using a cut-off of either 20 or 25mm TV to define “high risk” cohort appears to be appropriate
- Other sonographic features of the cervix known to be associated with preterm delivery include funnelling, shortening in response to uterine activity or fundal pressure, and intra-amniotic “sludge”
Cervical Length for Prediction of Preterm Birth
Treatment of short cervix in otherwise low risk women
- Routine mid-pregnancy cervical length assessment in low risk women can be a cost-effective method of preterm birth reduction but implementation of such a policy is highly dependent upon local factors
- Treatment of women with a short cervix with vaginal progesterone reduces the risk of preterm delivery before 34 weeks or fetal death by 34% and significantly reduces neonatal morbidity
- Approximately 11 women need to be treated to prevent one preterm delivery before 34 weeks
- In low risk women with a short cervix, progesterone is generally the preferred treatment (over cerclage) due to the lower risk of surgical complications
Cervical Length for Prediction of Preterm Birth
Women with risk factors for PTB
Previous PTB
- may benefit from vaginal progesterone or cervical cerclage
- some evidence to support cervical length surveillance with recourse to cervical cerclage in only those women who develop a short cervix
Multiple pregnancy
- evidence regarding therapeutic intervention for those with a short cervix is conflicting
Previous cervical excisional procedures
- a midtrimester cervical length less than 25 or 30mm confers a greater risk of preterm birth compared to a longer cervix
Mid-Trimester Fetal Morphology Ultrasound Screening
- provides information about fetal anomaly and growth, multiple gestation, placental position, and cervical dimensions
- useful in detecting congenital anatomical and other anomalies - over half of major malformations and anomalies were detected before 24 weeks with this approach
- principle objective is to provide diagnostic information that is accurate as possible with a view to optimising antenatal care and providing the best outcomes of pregnancy
- practitioners involved with the provision of mid-trimester fetal morphology screening must undergo appropriate specific training in this critical and specialised area of practice
Maternal GBS Screening and Management
Clinical risk factors for EOGBS
- spontaneous onset of labour at = 37 weeks gestation
- rupture of membranes >/= 18 hours
- maternal fever >/= 38 deg
- previous infant with EOGBS
- GBS bacturia during the current pregnancy
- Known carriage of GBS in current pregnancy
- Clinical diagnosis of chorioamnionitis
- Other twin with current EOGBS
Maternal GBS Screening and Management
Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis
- GBS leading cause in developed countries
- 15 to 25% of pregnant women are asymptomatic carriers of GBS
- <1/3 of neonates delivered vaginally are colonised
- between 1:200 and 1:400 neonates develop baceraemia and EOGBS
- fatality rate for EOGBS is 14%
- risk of EOGBS can be reduced by 80% with the use of intrapartum antibiotics
Maternal GBS Screening and Management
Universal Culture-Based Screening
- A large, prospective study showed universal culture-based screening and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) led to an 84% decline in the incidence of EOGBS (Jeffery, Moses, 1998)
- 1.4/1000 vs 0.2/1000 live births (NNT 224)
- a systematic review of 9 studies showed the odds of EOGBS were lower with routine culture-based screening compared with risk factor based screening OR 0.45 (Kurtz, Davis. 2015)
- combined low vaginal and anorectal swab with culture on selective enriched media (as detecting colonisation, not infection)
- rectovaginal culture at 36 weeks: sensitivity 91% specificity 88.9% for intrapartum maternal vaginal colonisation
Maternal GBS Screening and Management
IAP Regime for GBS Colonised Women
- IV penicillin G or ampicillin, optimally given at least 4 hours prior to delivery
- if known penicillin allergy, sensitivities should be performed at the time of GBS culture
- alternatives include cefazolin, clindamycin, and vancomycin
Obesity in Pregnancy
Antenatal Risks
- miscarriage
- gestational diabetes
- fetal congenital abnormalities (i.e. neural tube defects)
- antenatal stillbirth
- pre-eclampsia
- thromboembolism
- abnormalities in fetal growth
- obstructive sleep apnoea
- preterm birth, mostly associated with comorbidities
- maternal death
- gestational HTN: 2% (normal BMI) 5% (obese class 1) 10% (obese class 3)
Obesity in Pregnancy
Intrapartum Risks
- induction of labour, prolonged labour, and failure to progress
- rate of instrumental delivery
- failed instrumental delivery
- shoulder dystocia
- caesarean section
- difficulties with fetal heart rate monitoring
- postpartum haemorrhage
- peripartum death
- caesarean: 33% (normal BMI) 52% (obese class 3)
Obesity in Pregnancy
Postpartum Risks
- delayed wound healing and infection
- thromboembolic disease
- support with breastfeeding establishment and continuation
- postnatal depression
- longterm neonatal consequences: neonatal body composition, infant weight gain, obesity
Obesity in Pregnancy
Anaesthetic Risks
- difficulties with labour analgesia
- use of general anaesthesia
- difficulty maintaining an adequate airway, failed intubation
- increased risk of need for ICU care postoperatively
Obesity in Pregnancy
BMI Categories
- BMI is calculated at the first visit with kg/m2
- underweight <18.5
- healthy 18.5 to 24.9
- overweight 25 to 29.9
- obese (class 1) 30 to 34.9
- obese (class 2) 35 to 39.9
- obese (class 3) 40 or more