Preterm Infant Flashcards
What is the definition of a Preterm baby?
Born before 37 weeks
What is extreme preterm?
<27 weeks
What is very preterm?
<32 weeks
What is a term birth
Between 37-42 weeks
Fetal loss is before what week?
Before 22 weeks
What caused a decrease in premature births?
Smoking ban
7 Risk Factors associated with neonatal deaths?
- Pre term delivery
- Low birth weight
- Twins or multiple births
- Maternal age
- Ethnic minorities
- Smoking
- Disadvantaged circumstances
How many babies die in the UK every day (after 24 weeks of life)?
15 babies
How many babies are born preterm globally every year?
15 million
4 Reasons for increasing number of preterm births?
- Increasing maternal age
- Increasing rate of pregnancy complications
- Greater use of infertility treatments
- More caesarean deliveries before term
7 Causes of Preterm births?
- Spontaneous preterm labour
- Multiple pregnancy
- Preterm pre-labour rupture of membranes
- Pregnancy associated hypertension
- Intrauterine growth restriction
- Antepartum haemorrhage
- Cervical incompetence/uterine malformation
6 Risk factors for Having a Preterm Births?
- > 2 deliveries preterm increases the risk of another premature baby by 70%
- Abnormally shaped uterus
- 9 times more likely to give early if there is a multiple pregnancy
- Spacing between pregnancies <6 months
- Conceiving through in vitro fertilisation
- Smoking, drinking alcohol, illicit drug use
List 2 common problems of prematurity
- Temperature
2. Nutrition/feeding
Why do premature babies need help staying warm?
They have a low BMR, minimal muscular activity, high surface area to body mass ratio and do not have subcutaneous fat to insulate them.
Why do premature babies need help with nutrition?
- limited nutrient reserves
- gut immaturity
- immature metabolic pathways
- increased nutrient demands
- may not be able to suck
Main causes of early onset sepsis?
- Group B streptococcus
- Gram negatives
Acquired before or during delivery
Main causes of late onset sepsis
- Coagulasse negative staphylococci
- Gram negatives
- Staph aureus
Risk factors associated with sepsis in premature babies?
- Immature immune system
- intensive care environment
- Lines and tubes
Respiratory complications associated with prematurity?
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Apnoea of prematurity
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
What is primary and secondary Respiratory distress syndrome?
Primary = surfactant deficiency and structural immaturity Secondary = intubation and ventilation causes damage to respiratory.
Cardiac complications associated with prematurity?
Patent ductus arteriosus
Neurological complications associated with prematurity?
Intraventricular haemorrhage
What is an intraventricular haemorrhage?
Bleeding inside or around the ventricles, the spaces in the brain containing cerebral spinal fluid.
GI complications associated with prematurity
Necrotising enterocolitis
How does Necrotising enterocolitis occur?
Tissues in the intestine become inflamed and begin to die. This can lead to perforation and contents of the intestine leak into the abdomen. Premature babies have immature and fragile bowels which are not primed for motility yet.
Other complications of prematurity?
- Retinopathy of prematurity
- Metabolic = hypoglycaemia, hyponatremia, osteomalacia of prematurity
