week 12: antenatal assessment in pregnancy Flashcards
antenatal
Prenatal, before birth
conception
Fertilization in oviduct; sperm + egg = blastocyst
implantation
Blastocyst’s chorionic villi attach to uterus, develops into membranes
Placenta = Chorion + Amnion
preg test
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) is the earliest indicator of pregnancy
Comes from the placenta and tests recognize its presence
Otherwise, Progesterone is responsible for pregnancy maintenance - but it’s always there
gravidity
pregnancy
gravida
Woman who is pregnant
primigravida
1st pregnancy
multigravida
2+ pregnancies
nulligravida
Never been pregnant
parity
Number of pregnancies (not fetuses) where the fetus/es reaches 20 gestational weeks
- Legal viability is reaching 20 weeks pregnancy - whether the fetus is born alive or still
- Twins would still being 1 parity, if a fetus suddenly dies at 30 weeks it’s still parity
primi/multi/nullipara
One, 2+, 0 pregnancies reach viability
For multi, it’s really 22-25 weeks as they’re more likely to survive
Lungs aren’t mature at 20 weeks; past 24 weeks it’s better
preterm
Pregnancy delivered between 20-36 weeks
term
Delivered from wks 37-42 (42 is late)
postdate/term
Pregnancy beyond 41 weeks (Canada) or 42 weeks (US)
viable
Capable of living outside of the uterus; from 22-25 weeks
GTPAL Scale
3-1-0-1-3
Gravidity: Number of all pregnancies (regardless of term, birth, miscarriage)
Term Births: Number of deliveries from wks 36-42
Preterm Births: Number of deliveries from wks 20-36 (viability -> 36)
Abortions/Miscarriages: Total number of miscarriages/abortions
Living Children: Number of living children
In the above example:
The woman has only given birth once - therefore triplets
She has miscarried once at another pregnancy
There is no outcome for her 3rd pregnancy: She is currently pregnant
pregnancy
Spans 9 months or 10 lunar months (28 days each; 280 days)
Trimesters:*
1st: Wks 1-13
2nd: Wks 14-26
3rd: Wks 27-40 (term babies)
presumptive signs of preg
Felt by the woman
Missed periods
Home pregnancy test positive
Morning sickness, breasts tender, fatigue, peeing urgency/frequency
Quickening: 14-20 weeks in, woman feels fetal movement
probable signs of preg
Observed by the examiner
Uterine enlargement (measured from the pubic symphysis up)
Positive hospital pregnancy tests for hCG
Braxton Hicks contractions: Irregular tightenings of muscular uterine layer; birth prep
Changes in pigmentation
Chadwick’s Sign (Colour): Labia, vagina, cervix turn purple/blue; fill with blood, signs of vascular congestion due to changing hormones
Goodell’s Sign (Growth): Hypertrophy (growing) and engorgement of vessels resulting in significant softening of the cervix - as always, due to hormones
Hegar’s Sign: Examiner palpates softening of lower uterine segment; 6-8th week