Women's health Flashcards
Where does fertilisation usually occur?
the ampulla of the fallopian tube
What are the 6 stages of fertilisation?
Capacitation
Acrosome reaction
Adhesion and entry
Cortical reaction
Meiosis II
Syngamy
What is capacitation?
final stage of sperm maturation - involves exposure of receptor sites
involved in zona pellucida penetration.
What is the acrosome reaction?
loss of the acrosome cap on the head of the sperm cell leads to
release of lytic enzymes, which allows the sperm to penetrate the zona pellucida.
what is the cortical reaction?
modification of the zona pellucida to prevent polyspermy, induced by
membrane fusion and mediated by cortical granules
what is syngamy?
the male and female pronuclei replicate DNA and shed their nuclear
membranes as they move toward one another, before aligning at a common metaphase
plate and undergoing mitosis.
when does the blastocyst implant in the endometrium?
day 6-7
what is gastrulation and when does it occur?
week 3
formation of the trilaminar disc (endoderm, mesoderm, ectoderm) from the primitive streak
when does neurulation occur and what is it?
week 4- the development of a neural tube from the ectoderm
what week is thought to be the threshold of viability?
week 23
what is placenta praevia?
placenta covers the internal os of the cervix
what is a low-lying placenta?
placenta lies within 20 mm of the internal os (but does not cover it)
what are the risk factors for placenta praevia?
● Previous caesarean section
● IVF pregnancy
● Previous placenta praevia
- older maternal age
- maternal smoking
- assisted reproduction
- uterine abnormalities e.g. fibroids
what can trigger bleeding in placenta praevia?
○ Sexual intercourse
○ Vaginal examination
○ Cervical dilatation in labour
what investigations should be done following a diagnosis of antepartum haemorrhage?
- Full blood count, group + save
- Kleihauer test (for fetomaternal haemorrhage) in Rhesus -ve women
- Transvaginal / transabdominal ultrasound
- CTG for foetal monitoring
what are some differentials for antepartum haemorrhage?
● Placental abruption
● Onset of labour
● Cervical ectropion
● Vasa praevia
what drug can be given for low lying placenta or placenta praevia?
corticosteroids given between 34 and 35+6 weeks, helping organs mature doe to risk of preterm delivery
what additional scans should a woman with low lying/ placenta praevia receive?
transvaginal ultrasound at 32 and 36 weeks
what is vasa praevia?
Malformation of foetal vessels (umbilical vein + arteries), leading them to run through
placental membranes instead of the umbilical cord.
what is mortality of vasa praevia if SROM occurs?
foetal mortality is 60%
how can vasa praevia be detected?
● Antenatal: transvaginal ultrasound scan
● Labour: vaginal examination (palpable foetal vessels overlying os).
what is the management of vasa praevia antenatally?
○ Corticosteroids at 32 weeks due to high risk of prematurity
○ Elective CS (34-36 weeks, although optimal timing is contested).
what is the management of vasa praevia if undetected into labour?
Cat 1 C section
what is placenta accreta?
abnormal invasion of the placental villi through the decidua
leading to adherence to the myometrium.
what is placenta increta?
abnormal invasion of the placental villi through the decidua and into the myometrium, through to the outer serosa.
what is placenta percreta?
abnormal invasion of the placental villi through the entire
uterine wall; it may then invade other organs.
what are the risk factors for placenta accreta?
Previous placenta accreta
Previous endometrial curettage procedures (e.g. for miscarriage or abortion)
Previous caesarean section
Multigravida
Increased maternal age
Low-lying placenta or placenta praevia
what is the management of placenta acreta?
give steroids and C section 35-36+6 weeks
can include hysterectomy, uterus preservation or expectant management (leaving placenta inside)
what is placental abruption?
Premature separation of the placenta from the decidua.
how does placental abruption present?
Sudden onset severe abdominal pain that is continuous
Vaginal bleeding (antepartum haemorrhage)
Shock (hypotension and tachycardia)
Abnormalities on the CTG indicating fetal distress
Characteristic “woody” abdomen on palpation, suggesting a large haemorrhage
what is a concealed placental abruption?
Concealed abruption is where the cervical os remains closed, and any bleeding that occurs remains within the uterine cavity. The severity of bleeding can be significantly underestimated with concealed haemorrhage.
What is pregnancy induced hypertension?
new-onset hypertension, developing after 20 weeks gestation.
What is pre-eclampsia?
new-onset hypertension associated with proteinuria or systemic
features*, developing after 20 weeks gestation.
what triad is seen in pre-eclampsia?
Hypertension
Proteinuria
Oedema
What is eclampsia?
Seizures occurring as a result of pre-eclampsia.
what causes pre-eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is caused by high vascular resistance in the spiral arteries and poor perfusion of the placenta. This causes oxidative stress in the placenta, and the release of inflammatory chemicals into the systemic circulation, leading to systemic inflammation and impaired endothelial function in the blood vessels.
what are the high risk factors for pre-eclampsia?
Pre-existing hypertension
Previous hypertension in pregnancy
Existing autoimmune conditions (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus)
Diabetes
Chronic kidney disease
what are moderate risk factors for pre-eclampsia?
Older than 40
BMI > 35
More than 10 years since previous pregnancy
Multiple pregnancy
First pregnancy
Family history of pre-eclampsia
which women would be offered aspirin from 12 weeks to prevent pre-eclampsia?
women with one high-risk factor or more than one moderate-risk factors.
what are the symptoms of pre-eclampsia?
Headache
Visual disturbance or blurriness
Nausea and vomiting
Upper abdominal or epigastric pain (this is due to liver swelling)
Oedema
Reduced urine output
Brisk reflexes
how can pre-eclampsia be diagnosed?
Systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg
Diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg
PLUS proteinuria, organ dysfunction or placental dysfunction
when would magnesium sulphate be given in pre-eclampsia?
during birth and in the 24 hours after or when there are seizures, to relieve seizures
what is HELLP Syndrome?
Complication of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia involving:
Haemolysis
Elevated Liver enzymes
Low Platelets
what is gestational diabetes mellitus?
Chronic hyperglycemia and insulin resistance due to pregnancy.
what are the maternal complications of GDM?
○ Pre-eclampsia
○ Chronic type 2 diabetes (60%)
○ Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
what are the foetal complications of GDM?
○ Macrosomia, leading to shoulder dystocia
○ Neonatal hypoglycaemia (due to dependence on maternal hyperglycaemia
raising endogenous foetal insulin).
○ Childhood obesity (2x background risk).
○ Increased risk of metabolic syndrome and associated complications in later life.
what are the risk factors for GDM?
● BMI > 30
● Previous macrosomia
● Previous GDM
● Family history of diabetes mellitus
● Ethnicity with high prevalence of diabetes.
what is the first line test for GDM?
Fasting blood glucose, followed by 75g carbohydrate drink, with a second blood
glucose test 2 hours later.
What is the diagnostic criteria for GDM?
○ Fasting plasma glucose > 5.6mmol/L or
○ 2 hour glucose > 7.8mmol/L
when should insulin be used in GDM?
when fasting plasma glucose is >7.0
what is the management of GDM?
First Line: 2 week trial of diet, exercise and self-monitoring glucose levels
Second Line: if not successful, metformin
what is the first stage of labour?
onset defined by progressive contractions and cervical changes
what is the second stage of labour?
from full dilation to delivery of the baby
what is the third stage of labour?
from delivery of baby to delivery of placenta and membranes
what is the latent first stage?
effacement of cervix to 3 cm
what is the active first stage?
dilation from 3 to 10 cm
what is the passive second stage?
head descends down pelvis
what is the active second stage?
mother bears down
how long should the third stage of labour last?
placenta should be delivered within 30 mins of delivery of labour
what are the 7 steps of the second stage of labour?
- descent
- flexion
- internal rotation
- extension
- restitution
- external rotation
- delivery of shoulders
what 3 things are recorded on the partogram?
- Progress: cervical dilatation, descent, contractions (frequency and duration)
- Foetal wellbeing: heart rate*, amniotic fluid (liquor)
- Maternal wellbeing: pulse, blood pressure, temperature, urinalysis
what are the reassuring features of a CTG?
- Baseline heart rate: 110-160
- Decelerations: absent
- Accelerations: present
- Baseline variability: 5-25 bpm
what are decelerations?
drops of 15bpm for 15 seconds
what are accelerations?
increases of 15 bpm for 15 seconds
what does the Bishop’s score take into account?
- cervical dilation (cm)
- cervical effacement (%)
- foetal station
- cervical consistency
- cervical position
what are the indications for induction of labour?
Prelabour rupture of membranes
Fetal growth restriction
Pre-eclampsia
Obstetric cholestasis
Existing diabetes
Intrauterine foetal death
what is used to induce labour when intrauterine foetal death has occurred?
Oral mifepristone (anti-progesterone) plus misoprostol
how does a membrane sweep work?
Membrane sweep involves inserting a finger into the cervix to stimulate the cervix and begin the process of labour. It is used from 40 weeks gestation to attempt to initiate labour in women over their EDD.
what is the definition of a delayed first stage of labour?
cervical dilatation of less than 2cm in 4 hours.
what is the definition of a delayed second stage of labour?
Nulliparous: >2 hour duration of second stage of labour.
○ Multiparous: >1 hour duration of second stage of labour.
what is the definition of a delayed third stage of labour?
○ Actively managed (oxytocin injection): >30 minutes without delivery of placenta.
○ Physiological: >60 minutes without delivery of placenta.
what are the 3 factors of delayed labour?
Power- uterine contractions
Passenger- size, presentation and position of foetus
Passage- cephalopelvic disproportion
what proportion of women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime?
1 in 8
what are the risk factors for breast cancer?
Female (99% of breast cancers)
Increased oestrogen exposure (earlier onset of periods and later menopause)
More dense breast tissue (more glandular tissue)
Obesity
Smoking
Family history (first-degree relatives)
what effect does the COCP have on breast cancer risk?
small increase in risk, returns to normal 10 years after stopping the pill
what affect does HRT use have on the risk of breast cancer?
increases the risk, particularly combined HRT