Perinatal Adaptation Flashcards
What are the 3 shunts present in the foetal circulation?
Ductus venosus
Foramen ovale
Ductus arteriosus
Which vessel carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the foetus?
Umbilical vein via ductus venosus (liver) and IVC
Once oxygenated blood reaches the right atrium, where can it go?
To right ventricle and pulmonary artery
To left atrium via foramen ovale
Once oxygenated blood reaches the pulmonary artery, where can it go?
To lungs
To aorta via ductus arteriosus
List ways a foetus prepares for birth
Surfactant production
Accumulation of glycogen
Accumulation of brown fat
What does the ductus venosus become in circulatory transition?
Ligamentum teres (round ligament)
List some causes of failed cardiorespiratory adaptation in a newborn
Cold stress
Prematurity
Meconium aspiration
Hypoxia
What is persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn?
Resistance to lung blood flow remains high and foramen ovale persists, causing deoxygenated blood to flow to systemic circulation
Outline management of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
Ventilation
Oxygen
Nitric oxide (lung vasodilator)
Sedation
Ionotropes
Extra-corporeal life support (ECLS)
How do newborn babies thermoregulate?
Mobilise brown fat stores in response to catecholamines
Peripheral vasoconstriction
When is jaundice in a newborn physiological?
When it occurs from 2 days to 2 weeks
Anything before or after this is pathological
What is kernicterus?
Encephalopathy caused by unconjugated bilirubin crossing blood-brain barrier
What are the parameters for normal birthweight?
2.5-4 kg
Which hormones help perinatal adaptation?
Cortisol
Adrenaline
Why is vitamin K supplementation important for newborns?
Prevent haemolytic disease
