POSTNATAL CARE OF THE MOTHER AND CHILD Flashcards
what is the puerperium?
the period of about six weeks after childbirth during which the mother’s reproductive organs return to their original non-pregnant condition.
what does puerperium care consist of?
routine clinical examinations and observations
routine infant screening
provision of information and support
what are the roles of the midwife in postnatal care?
screening, health promotion, sign posting, referrals, helping with bonding/breast feeding, reassurance support, safegaurding
what are the aims of postnatal care/
to check the mother returns to her pre-pregnant state, to monitor the health and development of the body, to help the family adapt to change, to give the mother sufficient rest and support
what is dyspareunia?
pain during sex
what is a postpartum haemorrhage?
a loss of >500ml of blood within the first 24 hours following childbirth
what are some common puerperal complications?
postpartum haemorrhage, infection, pre-eclampsia, thromboembolism, mental health problems e.g. baby blues
why are we in a hypercoagulable state during pregnancy?
a physiologically adaptive mechanism to prevent post partum hemorrhage.
what is puerperal psychosis
a severe episode of mental illness that begins suddenly in the days/weeks after having a baby
what screening tests are done for newborns and when?
initial physical examination within 72 hours of birth
newborn blood spot test at 5 days old
hearing test within 4 weeks
another physical examination at 6 weeks
what is checked for during the newborn blood spot test>
sickle cell, cystic fibrosis, congenital hypothyroidism, inherited metabolic diseases
what is one at the 6-8 week postnatal check?
they take a history, assess the psychological and social situation, examine the mother and the baby
when can a heart murmur first be heard?
at 6 weeks
how do you check for developmental hip dysplasia?
check leg length, Assymetry of leg creases, Barlow and ortolani tests
how do you do barlows test?
flex and adduct the hip then gently push it posteriorly- positive is femoral head slips out of acetabulum
