Reproductive and Maternal Health Flashcards
Which groups of people have unmet needs for contraception?
– Adolescents
– Migrants
– Urban slum dwellers
– Refugees
– Women in the postpartum period
What guideline outlines the advice on contraception use?
- MECC –> medical eligibility criteria for contraception use
>2000 recommendations - Family Planning: a global handbook for practitioners
Define Maternal Death
the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from unintentional or incidental causes
Define maternal mortality ratio (MMR)
the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100000 live births during the same time period
it quantifies the risk of maternal death relative to the number of live births.
What is the global burden of maternal deaths?
Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia, Central America
90% of maternal deaths occur in LMICs
300 000 women die per year due to pregnancy related causes
NOTE: for every maternal death there are 20-30 women who have significant morbidity
What is the Three Delays Model?
- Delays in the decision to seek medical care
- Delays in reaching healthcare
- Delays in receiving appropriate health care
What percentage of women (globally) will have an obstetric complication?
What percentage need emergency obstetric care?
40%
15% - difficult to predict
What is FNAC and what are its components?
Focussed Antenatal Care
Includes: Pregnancy, Bird, Post-Natal, Neonatal period
How many antenatal clinic visits are recommended by FNAC?
8 (previously 4 but found that increasing to 8 reduced maternal and foetal deaths by 8:1000)
What is advised in the first ANC visit?
Should happen before 16 weeks
Antenatal card
Take history
Physical exam
Consent for screening
Iron/folate
1st dose TT (tetanus toxoid)
ITN
Give 2nd appointment
What is advised in the second ANC visit?
24-28 weeks
Action lab results
Correct anaemia
Treat syphilis
Start ART
Repeat HIV test if negative
2nd dose TT
1st dose malaria prophylaxis (SP)
1st dose anthelminthic (Albendazole)
What is advised in the third ANC visit?
32 Weeks
Recheck Hb
Check uterine size
Palpate fetus
2nd dose malaria prophylaxis
2nd dose anthelminthic
Discuss emergency preparedness
What is advised in the fourth ANC visit?
36 weeks
Check uterine size
Palpate fetus
Hb level
? pelvic exam
Counsel signs of labour
Review birth plan
How many stillbirths occur globally each year?
2.6 million, 50% of which occur in areas of conflict/emergency
Which three infectious diseases are most associated with stillbirth?
HIV
Malaria
Syphillis
What are the Global health agendas focussed on improving maternal health?
Sustainability Development Goals
Global Strategy for Women’s,
Children’s and Adolescents’ Health
(2016–2030)
How does the WHO Sustainability Development Goal #3 aim to reduce maternal mortality?
- Aims to provide universal health care access to all, including pregnant women
- Skilled healthcare professional available to pregnant women
What are the WHO recommendations on iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnancy?
Daily oral iron and folic acid supplementation with 30 mg to 60 mg
of elemental iron and 400 g (0.4 mg) of folic acid is recommended
for pregnant women to prevent maternal anaemia, puerperal sepsis, low birth weight, and preterm birth.
What are the WHO recommendations on calcium supplementation in pregnancy?
In populations with low dietary calcium intake, daily calcium supplementation (1.5–2.0 g oral elemental calcium) is recommended for pregnant women to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia.
What are the WHO recommendations on Vitamin A supplementation in pregnancy?
Vitamin A supplementation is only recommended for pregnant women in areas where vitamin A deficiency is a severe public health problem, to prevent night blindness.
Which maternal diseases/conditions should be tested/enquired about in pregnancy?
GDM
Alcohol
Smoking
HIV
Syphillis
+/- Anaemia
+/- TB
What is the minimum number of USS scans a woman should have during her pregnancy, according to the WHO?
1
One ultrasound scan before 24 weeks of gestation (early ultrasound) is recommended for pregnant women to estimate gestational age, improve detection of fetal anomalies and multiple pregnancies, reduce induction of labour for post-term pregnancy, and improve a woman’s pregnancy experience.
What is considered a ‘good delivery’ according to the WHO?
- spontaneous
- low risk
- vertex position
- delivery between 37 and 42 weeks
- mother and baby are in good condition post-nataly
Define Latent stage of labour
Painful uterine contractions, cervical changes and dilation <5 cm
One contraction at least every 10 minutes
** Intervening at this time is inappropriate, unless you have concerns about maternal/foetal well-being. Labour only really starts to progress at >5cm
Define Active First Stage of Labour
from 5cm cervical dilatation to full cervical dilatation.
Does not usually extend beyond 12 hours in first labours and 10 hours in subsequent labours
Define the second stage of labour?
The second stage is the period of time between full cervical dilatation and birth of the baby, during which the woman has an involuntary urge to bear down, as a result of expulsive uterine contractions.
Women should be informed that the duration of the second stage varies from one woman to another. In first labours, birth is usually completed within 3 hours whereas in subsequent labours, birth is usually completed within 2 hours.
How often should PV examinations be carried out to monitor the progress of labour?
4 hourly
** if concerned about OL then re-examine every 2 hours
When should the foetal heart rate be recorded during labour?
- Active 1st stage: every 15 - 30 minutes for 60 seconds during a contraction and for at least 30 seconds thereafter
- 2nd stage: every 5 minutes
- Good practice to record maternal pulse with every FH recording
When should you consider applying fundal pressure to help labour progress?
never!!
Is membrane rupture recommended during normal labour? Why?
No
Not part of normal labour.
* Increase risk of MTCT
* Increase risk of infection
It is not an effective method of shortening spontaneous labour and ↑ risk of CS and FH abnormalities
If labour slowing down use “benign” methods first – change of position, movement.
When should you start using a partograph
> 4cms or whenever the mother presents, if she is >4 cm
Measure the number and intensity of contractions along a graph, which helps you to determine how the labour is progressing
What document can be used as a good alternative to the partograph?
The WHO Labour Care Guide
What are the Pros and Cons of using a partograph?
CONS
- labour intensive
- aims for 1cm dilation per hour, but guidelines state that this is probably too fast for most women
- assumes that labour is a linear progression
PROS
- can help you make a decision about low progression/identification of OL
What medication can be given to reduce the risk of PPH
Oxytocin (10 IU IV/IM)
What is the suggested immediate newborn care in a normal delivery?
- Deliver baby onto abdomen or into arms of mother
- Delay cord clamping (1-3 mins)
- Immediate and thorough drying with warm, clean towel
- Assess breathing and if required manage resuscitation
- Wipe eyes
- Skin to skin contact (keep warm) plus hat or head cover for baby
- Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding
- Vitamin K (1mg) IM
What are the main causes of Maternity death?
Haemorrhage
Hypertension
Sepsis
What are the three main causes of neonatal death
Prematurity
Birth Asphyxia
Sepsis
What are appropriate timings for post-natal follow up
Day 1
Day 3
Day 7-14
6 weeks
What are the 7 major causes of maternal death and complications, which are targetted by EMOC (Emergency obstetric care)
- Sepsis and other maternal infections
- Haemorrhage
- Hypertensive conditions
- Indirect causes
- Complications of unsafe abortions
- Obstructed labour
- Other maternal disorders
What are the main components of simple EmOC? (so-called ‘Signal Functions”
- Parenteral oxytoics
- parenteral antibiotics
- Parenteral anticonvulsants
- Manual vacuum aspiration
- manual removal of placenta
- Assisted vaginal delivery
- Neonatal resus kit wtih bag and mask
± surgical cesarean options
± blood transfusion services
How quickly does mortality occur in an un-managed post-partum haemorrhage?
2 hours
What are the 6 UN EMOC care standards?
- Available EMOC facilities (basic and comprehensive) (1:4 per 500000 people)
- Evenly geographical spread of EMOC facilities
- A proportion of countries (individuallly determined) should have some births in an EMOC facility
- 100% of women with obstetric complications should recieve EMOC care
- 5-15% of all births should be done by c-section
- Direct case fatality rate should be <1
What EMOC facilities should be available in a population of 500000 people?
1 comprehensive EMOC package (EMOC + surgical campabilities + transfusion capabilities) and 4 basic EMOC packages
What is an SBA?
Why are they important?
Skilled Birth Attendant
Direct ocrrelation between presence of SBA at delivery and a reduction in maternal and child mortality
What percentage of maternal deaths occur due to haemorrhage?
25-30%
62% of these are post-partum
What is a post-partum haemorrhage (PPH)?
estimated blood loss of more than 500 mL within 24 hours of a vaginal birth or 1,000 mL after caesarean section, or any blood loss sufficient to
compromise haemodynamic stability
What is the definition of a massive PPH?
loss of 2000ml or more of blood from the genital tract within 24 hours of the birth of the baby or when the woman is haemodynamically compromised or showing signs of shock as a result of obstetric haemorrhage of any amount over 500 mls
What is secondary PPH?
Significant blood loss from the genital tract >24h after delivery, but within 6 weeks
How much blood loss does a woman need to lose acutely before she starts to show clinical signs
(tachycardia, tachypnoea, hypotension)
1500ml + (or 30% of her blood volume)
What are the 4 Ts of PPH?
Tone (>70%)
Thrombus
Tissue
Trauma
What are risk factors of decreased tone?
Multi-parity
Intra-amniotic infection
Functional / anatomical dysfxn of uterus
- Rapid labour, prolonged labour, fibroids, placenta praevia, uterine anomalies
Uterine relaxants
- magnesium, nifedipine
Bladder distension
How should you prevent hypotonic uterus post-partum?
- Oxytocin 10IU IM/IV
- 2nd line: Carbotosin, misoprostol, ergometrine - Delayed cord cramping (1-3 minutes)
- Cord tractions
What drug can be used to increase tone in the absence of SBAs?
Misoprostol 400-600mg PO
How does oxytocin/carbotecin work to increase tone?
Synthetic Mimic of naturally oxytocin
Binds to uterine wall muscles and increases sodium channel permeability, causing uterine contraction