Placental and Gestational Disorders Flashcards
1
Q
Placenta: Functions (3)
A
- establish effective communication between mother and the developing fetus while maintaining the immune and genetic integrity of both individuals;
- allows intimate apposition of maternal and fetal circulations for exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products;
- secretes a variety of hormones including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
2
Q
Define
- Amnion
- Chorion
- What does the chorion attach to?
- Define Chorionic Villi
A
- inner layer of the membrane surrounding the developing fetus, forms the amniotic cavity
- outer layer of the surrounding the developing fetus, forms the amniotic cavity
- decidua (endometrium of pregnancy)
- Placenta composed of chorionic villi that sprout from the chorion to provide a large contact are between the fetal and maternal circulations
3
Q
Chorionic Villi
- Histo look
- What are the two layers of epithelium?
A
- central stroma, w/ vascularity
2. syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast
4
Q
Fetal Circulation
- Under normal circumstances, when do the maternal and fetal blood mix?
- What are the umbilical vessels?
- How does maternal blood move?
A
- never
- 1 vein (carries oxygenated blood to baby), 2 arteries (carries deoxygenated blood back to receive oxygen and nutrients
- enters placenta via endometrial arteries and leaves via endometrial veins
5
Q
Spontaneous Abortion (Miscarriage)
- When does it usually occur?
- How often does it occur?
- What are more than half due to?
- What are some other causes?
A
- pregnancy loss before 20 weeks
- 1/3 of all pregnancies are lost (10-15% of recognized pregnancies)
- chromosomal abnormalities (tri/monosomy)
- Defective implantation, fetal abnormalities, maternal causes (inflammation, uterine deformity, DM, luteal-phase defects) unknown
6
Q
Ectopic Pregnancy
- Define
- How often does it occur?
- Where?
- Predisposing Factors
- Presentation
- Complications
A
- implantation occurs outside uterus
- 1:150 pregnancies
- 90% fallopian tubes, 10% ovary/abdom. cavity; may also implant in corn (horn) of uterus
- inflammation and scarring (pelvic inflamm disease –> constrictions and fibrosis of fallopian tube); intrauterine devices can increase risk
- abdominal pain, acute abdomen
- rupture and hemorrhage (esp of fallopian tube)
7
Q
Twin Placentas
- 3 types of twin placentas
- What implies monozygotes?
- What determines the number of amnions?
A
- diamnionic, dichorionic; diamnionic, monochorionic; monoamnionic, monochorionic;
- monochorionic placenta; however, dichorionic can also be identical twins
- time of splitting of ovum
8
Q
When does to ovum split to create:
- dichorionic, diamnionic placenta?
- monochorionic, diamnionic placenta?
- Monochorionic monoamnionic placenta?
A
- day 0-4
- day 4-8
- day 8-12
9
Q
Twin-Twin Transfusion
- What happens?
- What happens to each twin?
A
- 1 fetus gets more blood than the other
2. the less perfused twin often does not survive; well perfused twin may not make it as well
10
Q
Placenta Previa
- Define
- Symptom
- how is baby delivered?
- Risk factor?
A
- attachment of placenta to lower uterine segment or cervix
- painless, serious 3rd trimester bleeding due to dilatation of cervix;
- C-section
- previous C-sections
11
Q
Placenta Accreta
- Define
- Causes what?
- What can it do?
- Predisposing factors
A
- partial or complete absence of decidua with adherence of placental villous tissue directly to myometrium (failure of placental separation)
- post-partum bleeding
- Can invade into other structures, like the bladder
- Placenta Previa, previous C-section (scarring of endometrium)
12
Q
Abruptio Placentae
- Define
- What forms?
- What happens to the fetus?
- What happens to the mother?
A
- premature separation of the placenta prior to delivery
- retroplacental blood clot
- blood supply of O2 and nutrients to the fetus is compromised to a greater degree with increasing size of the abruption; potential fetal death
- painful bleeding, hemorrhage
13
Q
Retained Placental Tissue
- Define
- May cause what?
A
- retention of tissue after spontaneous miscarriage or elective abortion
- post-partum hemorrhage, infection,
14
Q
Preeclampsia- Eclampsia
- Define
- Can also cause…
- Who gets it? When?
- Which pregnancy is it most common in?
A
- systemic syndrome characterized by widespread maternal endothelial dysfunction presenting clinically with hypertension, edema, and proteinuria during pregnancy
- fetus problems due to insufficient blood supply to developing fetus
- 3-5% of pregnancies; 3rd trimester;
- 1st pregnancy, those w/ underlying HTN or diabetes
15
Q
Preeclampsia- Eclampsia: Pathogenesis
- How do we know that the placenta plays a role in symptoms?
- Theories of pathogenesis (3)
A
- symptoms disappear after delivery of placenta
- abnormal placental vasculature;
endothelial dysfunction and imbalance of angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors (more anti-angiogenic factors);
Coagulation abnormalities (imbalance btwn thromboxane and prostacyclin- abnormally high thromboxane)