Pregnancy Endocrinology Flashcards

1
Q

What major polypeptide hormones are produced by the placenta?

A

hCG
hPL
hPGH

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2
Q

What steroid hormones are produced by the placenta?

A

Estrogen

Progesterone

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3
Q

Detail the changes in E2, P, and PRL over the course of pregnancy.

A

Increase over time

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4
Q

What cell in the placenta is predominately responsible for steroid and protein production?

A

Syncytiotrophoblast

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5
Q

What circulation are most placental hormones secreted into?

A

Maternal circulation

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6
Q

When is hCG produced, by what cells?

A

8 days post fertilization
Cytotrophoblasts
Synctiotrophoblasts

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7
Q

What effect does hCG have on the corpus luteum?

A

Maintains corpus luteum

Corpus luteum produces progesterone until week 11 when the placenta takes over

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8
Q

What effect can hCG have on TSH?

A

Suppresses TSH

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9
Q

What effect can hCG have on thyroid function?

A

hCG has TSH activity at high levels

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10
Q

What is the most abundent secretory product of the placenta?

A

hPL

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11
Q

What cells secrete hPL?

A

Syncytiotrophoblasts

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12
Q

Is hPGH regulated by GHRH or somatostatin?

A

No

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13
Q

What effect does hPGH have on the mother?

A

Promotes insulin resistance

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14
Q

Why are statins contraindicated in pregnancy?

A

Cholesterol precursors for steroid synthesis are required

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15
Q

What is the role of progesterone during pregnancy?

A

Maintains uterine lining
Promotes decidua formation
Maintains uterine quiescence

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16
Q

What is the substrate used by the placenta to make progesterone?

A

LDL, vLDL

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17
Q

How is the fetus protected from high progesterone levels?

A

Lacks enzyme needed to convert pregnenolone to progesterone

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18
Q

What effect does progesterone have on a mother regarding cellular immunity?

A

Decreased
Improvement of autoimmune processes
Increased susceptibility to intracellular pathogens

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19
Q

What is the precursor for estrogens?

A

60% fetal DHEAS

40% maternal DHEAS

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20
Q

What effect does estrogen have on coagulability during pregnancy?

A

Hypercoagulable state

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21
Q

What is the leading cause of maternal death?

A

PE

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22
Q

What happens to total cortisol and TT4 levels during prengnancy?

A

Increase- E2 increases binding protein synthesis at the liver

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23
Q

A woman develops pancreatitis during pregnancy. The physician believes it is likely hormonaly related. What hormone is responsible?

A

Estrogen- increased TG synthesis

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24
Q

Why does the pituitary increase in pregnancy?

A

Estrogen stimulates lactotrophs

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25
Q

An increased pituitary is at risk of what complication?

A

Sheehan syndrome/postpartum hypopituitarism- ischemic necrosis of pituitary gland due to blood loss and hypovolemic shock during/after birth

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26
Q

What must occur to maternal estrogen levels in order for successful lactation to occur?

A

Estrogen must fall- decreased competetion with prolactin for prolactin receptor

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27
Q

A woman with RA notices her condition has improved being pregnant. Explain why.

A

Progesterone- decreases cellular immunity

28
Q

During pregnany women become resistant to aldosterone and AgII. Why?

A

Progesterone competes for aldosterone receptor

29
Q

What medication is a progesterone antagonist that is an abortifacent when given early in gestation?

A

Misoprostol

30
Q

Traditionally, what hormone has been identified as the placental hormone responsible for the development of maternal insulin resistance?

A

hPL

31
Q

In the late second and third trimester women manifest a nearly 50% decrease in insulin mediated glucose disposal. What effect does this have on maternal insulin production?

A

Increased

32
Q

Glucose transport to the fetus occurs via what placental glucose transporter?

A

GLUT-1

33
Q

When is fetal insulin secreted?

A

11 weeks

Response to maternal glucose

34
Q

How quickly does insulin sensitivity return post partum?

A

48 hours

35
Q

Gestational diabetes is caused by abnormalities in at least 3 aspects of fuel metabolism what are these aspects?

A

Insulin resistance
Impaired insulin secretion
Increased hepatic glucose production
(most women overweight, think unmasking of DM2)

36
Q

Detail the normal fasting plasma glucose in a normal pregnancy.

A

~10 mg/dl lower than non-pregnant individuals

Presumably due to increase in glucose uptake by fetoplacental unit

37
Q

What effect does hyperglycemia have on fetal insulin production?

A

Increased- hyperinsulinemia

Beta cell hyperplasia

38
Q

What effect does hyperglycemia/hyperinsulinemia have on fetal growth?

A

Increases

39
Q

A 26-year-old G1P0 diabetic woman is delivering at 42 weeks’ gestation has a complicated vaginal delivery in which the shoulders do not deliver with ease. The birth weight is 4300 grams. The baby is noted postpartum to have difficulty moving the left arm. What complication has likely occured?

A

Shoulder dystocia

40
Q

What populations are at highest risk for GDM?

A

Hispanics
Native Americans
Pacific Islanders

41
Q

Define macrosomia.

A

Fetal birth weight >4000 g

42
Q

DM1 and DM2 can result in malformations of the heart or spine. Why are these complications not scene in women who develop GDM?

A

Glucose is teratogen in first trimester

Women with GDM should not have elevated glucose in first trimester

43
Q

What are maternal complications that can arise from GDM?

A
Increased incidence of preeclampsia
Infection
Preterm labor due to polyhdramnios
Cesarean delivery
40-50% risk of developing DM2 in 10-20 years (most important complication)
44
Q

What is standard practice for GDM screening?

A

50 g oral glucose test at 24-28 weeks
If abnormal (>130-140) give a diagnostic 3 hour 100 g OGTT
2 abnormal values on OGTT are diagnostic

45
Q

What are risk factors for GDM?

A
BMI >30
DM in first degree relative
Hx of macrosomic infant
Hx of GDM
Hx of PCOS
46
Q

When should women with risk factors for GDM be screened?

A

First prenatal visit

47
Q

Detail the therapy for a woman diagnosed with GDM.

A

Carbohydrate, fat, calorie restricted diet

Check blood glucose throughout the day

48
Q

If therapy or the fetus is showing abnormal growth in a woman with GDM what is the next course of action?

A

Insulin or glyburide

49
Q

What hypoglycemic agent crosses the placenta least well?

A

Glyburide

50
Q

How do maternal iodine requirements change during pregnancy?

A

Increase

Women who are unable to meet increased demand become increasingly hypothyroid and develop a goiter

51
Q

What conditions lead to increased hCG and can result in gestational thyrotoxicosis.

A

Molar pregnancy
Hyperemesis gravidarum
Multiple pregnancy

52
Q

What is the leading cause of hypothroidism globally and in the US?

A

Globally- iodine deficiency

US- hasimoto thyroiditis

53
Q

Why should T3 not be used in pregnant women for replacement of thyroid hormone?

A

Fetal brain has mainly T4 receptors

54
Q

What components of fetal brain development are dependent on T4?

A

Neurogenesis
Neuronal migration
Myelination

55
Q

What women should be screened for thyroid disease? When?

A
Women with risk factors:
Hx of thyroid disease
Goiter
Hypothyroid symptoms
Anemia
Autoimmune disease
Family Hx
First prenatal visit
56
Q

Does subclinical hyperthyroidism cause adverse pregnancy outcomes?

A

No

57
Q

A pregnant woman has suppressed TSH, what test can not be done to differentiate the cause of thyrotoxicosis?

A

Radioactive iodine

58
Q

Does gestational hyperthyroidism need to be treated with antithyroid medication?

A

No

59
Q

Should TSH be used to titrate antithyroid therapy?

A

No- can remain suppressed and attempts to normalize it may render the fetus hypothryoid

60
Q

Define post partum thyroiditis.

A

Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or both within the first year postpartum from autoimmune thyroid dysfunction not previously recognized

61
Q

What types of valvular heart lesions improve with pregnancy, which do worse?

A

Mitral regurgitation improves
Aortic stenosis/pulmonary HTN do worse
(Increased CO)

62
Q

When is TSH normally low?

A

1st trimester

63
Q

What is the function of progesterone and pregnenolone in the fetus?

A

Substrate for fetal aldosterone and cortisol

64
Q

A woman with DM becomes pregnant, why must her insulin dosing change?

A

Increased insulin sensitivity
Must decrease insulin
Risk for hypoglycemia

65
Q

What hormone increases lipolysis and insulin secretion in pregnancy?

A

hPL

66
Q

What hormone causes 50% of women with hyperemesis gravidarium to become hyperthyroid?

A

hCG