Pathology and Infection Flashcards
Name 3 early pregnancy disorders
- Spontaneous abortion
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Gestational trophoblastic disease
Name 3 late pregnancy disorders
- Disorders of placentation
- Pre-eclampsia / Eclampsia
- Amniotic fluid embolism
What percentage of recognised pregnancies terminate in spontaneous abortion?
10-15% of recognised pregnancies terminate in spontaneous abortion
What are the foetal causes of spontaneous abortion?
- Genetic abnormalities e.g. Aneuploidy, Trisomy 18, Trisomy 16
- Infection (TORCH)
- Defective implantation inadequate to support foetal development
What are the maternal causes of spontaneous abortion?
- Inflammatory disease
- Uterine abnormalities
What is it called when there is implantation of the foetus in any site other than the normal uterine location?
Ectopic pregnancy
How often do ectopic pregnancies occur?
Occurs 1 in 150 pregnancies
What is the most common site of ectopic pregnancy?
Fallopian tube
Name a predisposing condition to ectopic pregnancy
Pelvic inflammatory disease
What are the following clinical features a sign of:
- Severe abdominal pain at approx 6 weeks post LMP
- Tubal rupture →pelvic haemorrhage→Acute Abdomen
- Medical Emergency –Cardiovascular shock
- Diagnosed: Serum ßhCG
Ectopic pregnancy.
Side note: These pregnancies are always non-viable.
What disease does this describe: “Spectrum of tumours and tumour-like conditions characterised by the proliferation of pregnancy-associated trophoblastic tissue.”
Gestational trophoblastic disease
Name the 3 types of molar pregnancy
- Complete hydatidiform mole
- Partial hydatidiform mole
- Choriocarcinoma
What do the following factors put a pregnant patient at risk of?
- Age: >40 years; <20 years
- Previous gestational trophoblastic disease
- Diet deficient in Vitamin A
- Blood group A woman and group O man
Molar pregnancy
How may a clinician detect the early development of persistent trophoblastic disease?
It is possible by monitoring the circulating levels of hCG to determine the early development of persistent trophoblastic disease
What are the following clinical presentations associated with during pregnancy:
- Uterus large for dates
- Hyperemesis
- 1st trimester vaginal bleeding
- Symptoms of thyrotoxicosis
- Theca lutein cysts
Complete hydatidiform mole
Complete moles cause markedly elevated levels of _____?
Complete moles cause markedly elevated levels of ßhCG. This information is used in diagnosis.
Additionally, ALL the villi of the placenta have oedema. No foetus is seen. The karyotype is also 46 XX/ 46 XY
What percentage of complete hydatidiform moles progress to choriocarcinoma?
2% of complete moles progress to choriocarcinoma
What are the following clinical features associated with during pregnancy:
- Elevated levels of ßhCG
- Normal villi + some oedematous villi
- Minimal trophoblastic proliferation
- May contain foetal parts
- Karyotype: Triploid
- V. rare progression to choriocarcinoma
Partial hydatidiform mole
What is the malignant epithelial neoplasm of trophoblastic cells that can develop from hydatidiform moles known as?
Choriocarcinoma.
50% of cases arise from hydatidiform moles.
22% from normal pregnancies.
What are the treatments of choriocarcinoma?
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
Name two placental disorders of implantation
- Placenta Praevia
2. Placenta creta
What is the implantation of the placenta over the internal cervical os known as?
Placenta praevia
What are 2 risk factors of placenta praevia?
- Prior C-section
- Pregnancy termination
- Smoking
Name 2 complications of placenta praevia
- Difficulty in delivery
2. Postpartum haemorrhage
Name the disorder that this definition describes: “A rare disorder in which the chorionic villi are immediately adjacent to the myometrium to a varying degree.”
Placenta Accreta
Placenta accreta is associated with a deficiency of _______
Placenta accreta is associated with a deficiency of decidua
What is the main risk in placenta accreta spectrum disorders?
Antenatal and postnatal bleeding
What does increta imply?
Increta implies a moderate degree of myometrial penetration
What does percreta imply?
Percreta implies total penetration by chorionic villi
What is placental abruption defined as?
Premature separation of the placenta
Name a complication of placental abruption
Antepartum haemorrhage
What is the clinical presentation of placental abruption?
Bleeding with abdominal pain - hard uterus on palpation
What is a complication of twin pregnancies?
Twin to twin transfusion
What do twin pregnancies put the mother at increased risk of?
- Gestational diabetes
- Premature delivery
What 3 symptoms characterise pre-eclampsia toxaemia (PET)?
Hypertension
Proteinuria
Oedema
What % of people does toxaemia of pregnancy occur in?
6%
It usually occurs in the last trimester
Is convulsions associated with pre-eclampsia toxaemia or eclampsia?
Eclampsia
What is the treatment for established PET or Eclampsia?
Induction and delivery
What are the complications of PET?
HELLP Syndrome
- Haemolysis
- Elevated Liver enzymes
- Low Platelets
What does HELLP syndrome describe?
- Haemolysis
- Elevated Liver enzymes
- Low Platelets
What condition is characterised by the following:
- Severe Shortness of Breath
- Cyanosis
- Hypotensive shock followed by seizures & coma
Amniotic fluid embolism
Name one thing found in the maternal pulmonary circulation when there is amniotic fluid embolism
- Foetal squamous cells
- Mucin
What is the leading cause of direct maternal death?
Thromboembolic disease
What is the most common malignancy exacerbated in pregnancy?
Breast cancer
What is the incidence of maternal death?
9.2 in 100,000
What does the ‘perinatal period’ describe?
The period occurring around the time of birth
How is preterm birth defined?
Preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby less than 37 weeks gestation
List 4 risk factors for prematurity
- Pre-Eclampsia (PET)
- Hypertension
- Alcohol
- Infection
Name one neurological complication of prematurity
Developmental disability
Name one cardiovascular complication of prematurity
Patent ductus arteriosus
What is the leading cause of morbidity & mortality in premature infants?
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
What are the risk factors for respiratory distress syndrome?
Prematurity, Maternal diabetes, C-section
The pathogenesis of respiratory distress syndrome is linked to a deficiency of ______
The pathogenesis of respiratory distress syndrome is linked to a deficiency of surfactant
What is the biophysical role of surfactant?
relevant for respiratory distress syndrome
To decrease surface tension (i.e. decrease the affinity of alveolar surfaces for one another)
When a newborn starts to breathe, type II pneumocytes release their surfactant stores.
How is respiratory distress syndrome prevented?
Antenatal maternal glucocorticoids
What is a late complication of respiratory distress syndrome that usually occurs in infants that weigh less than 1500g?
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). It is thought to result from oxygen toxicity.
Name 2 gastrointestinal/metabolic complications of prematurity
- Hypoglycaemia
- Hypocalcaemia
- Necrotising Enterocolitis
What is the most common acquired gastrointestinal emergency in newborns?
Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC)
The incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is thought to be _______ proportional to the gestational age
The incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is thought to be inversely proportional to the gestational age
Name 2 haematological complications of prematurity
- Anaemia of prematurity
- Jaundice
In jaundice, what organ is immature? And what is it deficient in?
Liver immature - deficient in glucuronyl transferase
What pigment is thought to injure the brain by interfering with mitochondrial function in jaundice?
Bilirubin.
When it injured the brain by interfering with mitochondrial function, this is called ‘kernicterus’.
A baby is brought to the clinic and is described to have lost their startle reflex. They have also developed athetoid (slow) movements. They have previously been diagnosed with jaundice. What complication have they developed?
Kernicterus
What is the treatment for jaundice?
Phototherapy.
In a severe case: exchange transfusion
What is a low birth weight infant classified as?
<2500g
What is a cause of ‘small for gestational age’ (SGA) low birth weight?
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
Name one cause of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Disorders impairing maternal health & nutrition
Name one cause of symmetrical foetal growth restriction
Rubella or Chromosomal abnormalities
What is the most common important birth injury?
Intracranial haemorrhage
Which organ has the highest risk of causing death when there is a congenital abnormality?
Congenital anomalies of the heart have the highest risk of death in infancy accounting for 28% of infant deaths due to congenital abnormality
What does the following definition refer to: “Intrinsic abnormality occurring during the developmental process.”
Malformation
What does the following definition refer to: “Arise later in fetal life and represent an alteration in form or structure resulting from mechanical factors.”
Deformation
What does the following definition refer to: “Results from secondary destruction of or interference with an organ or body region that was previously normal in development.”
Disruption
What does the following definition refer to: “A pattern of cascade anomalies”
Sequence
What does the following definition refer to: “A constellation of congenital abnormalities believed to be pathologically related.”
Syndrome
What are the two main features of Potters’ Sequence?
- Oligohydramnios (caused by Amniotic leak)
2. Foetal compression (Results in Altered faces)
Karyotic abnormalities are present in __ to __% of live infants with congenital abnormalities
Karyotic abnormalities are present in 10 to 15% of live infants with congenital abnormalities
What is the most common cause of congenital abnormalities?
Down Syndrome
What is the professional term for Oedema of the foetus?
Hydrops Fetalis
The hallmark of X disease is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in body cavities. This disease occurs in babies. Name the disease.
Hydrops Fetalis
Name a type of immune hydrops, that is also known as ‘haemolytic disease of the newborn’.
Rhesus Disease
90% of Rhesus are caused by what?
Antibodies against D antigen.
Problem arises with Rh(-) mother & Rh(+) father.
Name one feature of infants who die from hydrops fetalis.
Bile stained organs
What is the treatment of Rhesus disease?
- Exchange transfusions
- Phototherapy
How is Rhesus disease prevented?
The administration of human anti-D immunoglobulin within 72 hours of delivery
What is the most common cause of non immune hydrops?
Fetal cardiac anomalies
Name two things that non immune hydrops results from
- Cardiac Failure
2. Venous obstruction
What microorganisms are transcervical perinatal infections mainly caused by?
Bacteria
What microorganisms are transplacental perinatal infections mainly caused by?
Parasites and Viruses.