Pregnancy complications Flashcards
What is a spontaneous abortion? How many occur in first semester? Risk after 15 wks?
- intrauterine preg at less than 20 wks - after 20 wks considered a still birth
- about 80% occur in first trimester
- after 15 wks risk is 0.6%
- overally almost 20% of all cinincally recognized pregnancies terminate in spontaneous abortion
Etiology of spontaneous abortion?
- 60% result from x’somal defects
- 15% assoc with:
maternal trauma
infections
dietary deficiencies
DM
hypothyroidism
anatomic malformations- incompetent cervix - 25% can’t be determined
What are the biggest RFs for spontaneous abortion?
- advanced maternal age
- previous spontaneous abortion
- maternal smoking
Sxs of a spontaneous abortion?
- bleeding: bright red mostly, heavy - saturating pads
- midline cramping
- low back pain
- open or closed cervical os
- complete or partial expulsion of products of conception
Subtypes of spontaneous abortion?
- threatened: Os closed, unpredictable outcome (pregnancy may still be viable)
- inevitable: Os opened, products of conception have not passed, pregnancy can’t be saved
- incomplete: os open, some products of conception have passed
- complete: os may be open or closed, products of conception have passed
- missed: pregnancy didn’t develop
Signs and sxs of threatened abortion?
- slight bleeding
- abdominal cramping
- cervical os is closed
- uterine size is compatible with dates
- no products of conception are passed
- prognosis is unpredictable
Tx measures for threatened abortion?
- bed rest from 24-48 hrs with gradual resumption of usual activities
- no work, no child care responsibilities
- rest in horizontal postion except when bathing or using toilet
- no sex
- abx only if there are signs of infection
- hormonal tx is CI
- hydration
- explicit instructions on when to report signs and sxs
- definitive f/u date
What ar the signs and sxs of an inevitable abortion?
- moderate bleeding
- moderate to severe uterine cramping
- low back pain
- cervical os is dilated
- membranes may or may not be ruptured
- uterine size is compatible with dates
- products of conception are not passed but passage is inevitable
- prognosis is poor, pregnancy can’t be saved
Signs and sxs of an incomplete abortion?
- heavy bleeding
- moderate to severe abdominal cramping
- low back pain
- cervical os is dilated
- uterine size is compatible with dates
- some portion of productions of conception (usually placenta) remain in uterus
- pregnancy can’t be saved
What is a missed abortion?
- pregnancy ceased to develop but products of conception haven’t been expelled
- sxs of pregnancy disappear
- brownish vaginal d/c but no free bleeding
- pain doesn’t develop develop
- cervix is semi-firm and slightly dilated
- uterus becomes smaller and irregularly softened
Tx for missed, inevitable and incomplete abortions?
- counseling regarding fate of pregnancy
- assess Rh factor and admin immunoglobulin to Rh negative, unsensitized woman
- planning for elective termination:
empty all products of conception to prevent infection and uterine hemorrhage with DandC
insertion of laminaria to dilate cervix followed by aspiration is method of choice for missed abortion
prostaglandin vaginal supps are an effective alternative
Signs and sxs of a complete abortion?
- bleeding may be heavy or minimal
- moderate to severe abdominal cramping
- low back pain
- fetus and placenta are completely expelled
- pain then ceases, but spotting may persist
- cervical os may be opened or closed
- uterus is normal pre-pregnancy size
What are habitual abortions?
- considered recurrent pregnancy loss/habitual abortions if 3 previous pregnancies
- 3 previous pregnancies - 70-80% chance of carrying a fetus to viability
- 4 or more - 65-70% chance of carrying a fetus to viability
Eval of suspected spontaneous abortion?
- hx
- PE including pelvic exam and visualization of cervix
- +/- fetal doppler
- +/- transvaginal US
- lab eval:
serum hCG (should double normally)
blood type and ab screen if suspected RH negative mother
Workup for recurrent pregnancy loss?
- most useful tests:
assessment of uterine structure, rule out lupus (anticardiolipin ab, lupus anticoag), TSH - less useful tests:
blood glucose
genetic (only if other testing normal): maternal and paternal - day 3 FSH levels
- progesterone levels
F/U for spontaneous abortion?
- GYN exam 2-3 wks after termination
- use contraception for 3 months to allow complete maternal healing and regeneration of endometrial lining
- follow hCG (make sure it goes back down)
What is an ectopic pregnancy? Sites?
- implantation of fertilized ovum outside of the uterine cavity: fallopian tube: MC site (98%) cervix ovary in abdominal cavity - rupture is inevitable - potentially life threatening condition - incidence: 1/80 pregnancies - Major cause of maternal death during 1st trimester
RFs for ectopic pregnancy? Lower risk factors?
RFs:
- hx of genital infections (PID)
- hx of infertility
- hx of tubal pregnancy (ligation or reconstruction)
- hx of any ectopic pregnancy
- IUD
lower risk:
- abdominal or pelvic surgery
- hx of ruptured appendix
- intrauterine exposure to DES
- use of drugs that slow ovum transport (mini-pill)
DES - shown to cause what?
- given to preg ladies from 1940-1970 b/c of the belief it would reduce complications and miscarriages
- cause rare vaginal tumor in girls and young women exposed to drug in utero
- daughters also have slightly increased risk of breast cancer after 40
Natural hx of ectopic pregnancy?
- rupture: assoc with profound hemorrhage that can be fatal
- abortion: expulsion of products of conception through fimbria and absorption of tissue
- some can spontaneously resolve
Classic presentation of ectopic pregnancy?
- 1-2 months of amenorrhea
- morning sickness
- breast tenderness
- diarrhea, urge to defecate
- malaise and syncope
- lower abdominal/pelvic pain: sudden and severe, especially adnexal (lateralizes to one side)
- referral of pain to shoulder
Atypical presentation of ectopic pregnancy?
- vague or subacute sxs
- menstrual irregularity
- signs and sxs don’t always correlate with severity of condition
PE - on pt with suspected ectopic pregnancy?
- vital signs may reveal orthostatic changes: tachycardia, hypotension
- adnexal, cervical motion and or abdominal tenderness on pelvic exam
- pelvic exam: normal appearing cervix, marked tenderness, vaginal vault may be bloody, usually brick red to brown in color
tender adnexal mass may be palpated - This can KILL your PT
- be vigilant about vital signs and maintaining IV access
- emergency surgery is only thing that can save them once rupture with hemorrhage has occurred: pt w/ tachycardia, hypotension and + pregnancy test needs surgery b/f they bleed out
Differential once you have ruled out ectopic pregnancy?
- PID
- ovarian cyst
- ovarian tumor
- intruterine pregnancy
- recent spontaneous abortion
- early hydatidifrom degeneration
- acute appendicitis
- other bowel related disorders
Labs for suspected ectopic pregnancy?
- b-hCG: will be lower than expected for normal pregnancies of sam duration
if followed over few days:
there may be slow rise or plateau rather than near doubling q 2 days assoc with normal PG or falling levels assoc with spontaneous abortion - CBC: may show anemia or slight leukocytosis
- Rh factor
Imaging for suspected ectopic pregnancy? What is the correlation b/t US and hCG?
- transvaginal US: empty uterine cavity
- correlation b/t U/S and hCG - hCG level of 6500 U/ml with an empty uterine cavity by US virtually dx of ectopic pregnancy
Dx and tx of ectopic pregnancy?
- laparoscopy is definitive
- depending on size of ectopic and whether or not it has ruptured, salpingostomy with removal of ectopic or partial or complete salpinectomy can be performed pelvicscopically
- may need laparotomy to manage if severe
Indications for surgical management for ectopic pregnancy?
- hemodynamic instability
- impending or ongoing ectopic mass rupture
- not able or willing to comply with medical therapy post tx f/u
- lack of timely access for medical care in case tube rupture
- failed medical therapy