OBSTETRICS Flashcards
What are some causes of antepartum haemorrhage? (think of both dangerous + ‘innocent’ causes)
DANGEROUS = abruption, placenta praevia, vasa praevia
OTHERS =
- cervical polyps/erosions/carcinoma
- cervicitis, vaginitis, vulval varicosities
- placental sinus, circumvalate placenta
What things should you ask in the history of a woman presenting with antepartum haemorrhage?
- Gestational age
- Amount of bleeding
- Associated initiating factors e.g. sex
- Abdominal pain
- Foetal movements
- Prev episode of PV bleed
- Leakage of fluid PV
- Previous pelvic surgery (incl. C section)
- Smoking/Cocaine use
- Blood group + rhesus status
- Prev + current obstetric history
- Position of placenta (if known)
What examination(s)/signs should be done in a woman with suspected antepartum haemorrhage?
Look for signs of haemodynamic compromise
- low BP + tachycardia
- peripheral vasoconstriction
- central cyanosis
- palpate uterus
Do NOT perform PV exam until placenta praevia r/o
- speculum
- digital PV exam to assess cervical ripeness
Foetal assessment = FHR + CTG
How do you initially manage a pregnant woman with APH?
- MATERNAL:
- FBC
- Kleihauer if Rh-ve to determine extent of feto-maternal haemorrhage and if more anti-D is required
- group + save
- coagulation screen if abruption suspected - FOETAL
- USS
- Umbilical artery doppler to assess functioning of placenta
What are the grades/types of placenta praevia?
- Minor (G1+G2) = placenta lies in lower segment close to or encroaching on OS
- Major (G3+G4) = placenta lies OVER cervical OS (=> cervical effacement + dilatation could result in catastrophic bleeding + potential death)
What are the risk factors for developing placenta praevia?
- Previous c section
- Older maternal age
- Structural uterine abnormalities e.g. fibroids
What are the typically clinical features of placenta praevia?
- PAINLESS vaginal bleeding in pregnancy
- Bleeding usually at 26 weeks or more
- May be diagnosed on antenatal USS
What investigation should be performed to diagnose placenta praevia?
TVUSS is the gold standard test
How do you manage a woman with placenta praevia?
- Antenatally advise:
- no intercourse
- avoid vaginal exams + speculums
- USS at 32 weeks to assess placental position, if placenta remains close to os then scan every 2 weeks
- if the placenta is within 2cm of the os then delivery is by caesarean section at 37 weeks
Women with major PP who have bled should be admitted from 34 weeks
What conditions/features are associated with having placental abruption?
- pre-eclampsia
- smoking
- IUGR
- PROM
- Multiple pregnancies
- Polyhydramnios
- Increased maternal age
- Thrombophilia
- Abdominal trauma
- IVF
- Cocaine/amphetamine
- Non-vertex presentation
What is sheehan’s syndrome? What features does it cause?
Women who lose a life-threatening amount of blood in childbirth or who have severe low blood pressure during or after childbirth, this lack of oxygen that causes damage to the pituitary gland
- Hypopituitarism
- Agalactorrhoea
- Amenorrhoea
- Symptoms of hypothyroidism
What are the clinical features of placental abruption?
- Continuous abdominal pain
- Backache if posterior placental abruption
- Uterus tender on palpation. “Woody uterus suggests large haemorrhage.
- PV bleeding - variable and often dark
- Foetal distress is common
What investigations should be performed to diagnose placental abruption?
It is a clinical diagnosis
- perform USS to confirm foetal wellbeing + rule out placenta praevia
How is placental abruption managed?
- Admit all women with PV bleeding + unexplained abdominal pain
- Establish immediate foetal wellbeing with CTG + USS
- Access + bloods
- If foetal distress or maternal compromise = resuscitate + DELIVER
- If no foetal distress and bleeding/pain cease = consider delivery at term
- Anti-D if Rh-ve
- Be wary of PPH
What are some high-risk factors for developing pre-elampsia?
- HTN in previous pregnancy
- CKD
- Autoimmune e.g. SLE, antiphospholipid
- T1DM/T2DM
- chronic HTN