Womens health Flashcards
What refers to the first trimester of pregnancy
0-12 weeks
What is considered the second trimester
12-20/24 weeks
What is considered a recurrent miscarriage
3 T1 or 2 T2
What are the 3 main types of early pregnancy losses
Miscarriage
Ectopic pregnancy
Molar pregnancy
What are the 5 risk factors for a miscarriage
- Age above 35yo
- Previous losses
- Maternal complications like bacterial or viral infections
- Medications and substances
- Environmental exposures e.g. radiation
What are the 4 most likely causes of a T1 miscarriage
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Maternal uterine abnormalities
- Trauma
- Subchorionic haematoma
7 causes of a T2 loss
Infection
Uterine abnormalities
Cervical incompetence
Fetal abnormalities
Thrombophilias
Abruption
Rupture of the membranes
What is the general presentation of a patient with a miscarriage
The patient might be shocked with large amounts of blood loss as well as liver-like clots that are a result of placental matter. The patient will also have some LAP as a result of the contractions
What would you see on a specular exam in a miscarriage
There would be bleeding from the cervical os
If there is uterine tenderness after a miscarriage what does that indicate
Sepsis
What are the tests that can be done to check if it was a misscarrage
Pregnancy test
What test should be done on a T2 miscarriage in conjunction with the pregnancy test
Dipstick to check for a UTI as the cause
What is a threatened miscarriage
This is where there is a risk of miscarriage, as a result, there is variable bleeding with no products of conception and the cervical OS remains closed. On ultrasound the is a fetal heart rate
What is a complete miscarriage
This is where there is complete loss of a fetus, the uterus on ultrasound is clear and there are no retained products of conception. The OS is closed and there is heavy bleeding as the fetus is evacuated
What is an incomplete miscarriage
This is where there is heavy bleeding, the cervical os is still open because there is still passage of the material, and there is persistent pain as the material is being passed.
What is a missed miscarriage (silent)
This is where there is no fetal heart rate and an intact gestational sac, the os is closed and there is no pain or bleeding
What are the signs of a septic miscarriage
Bleeding with an offensive smell the os is open with some RPOC, often a lot of pain with peritonitis
What are the 4 main types of management for a miscarriage and what are the specific interventions used
- Acute: Fluid resuscitation with counseling and support
- Expectant management: Watch them and wait
- Medical: Misoprostol for removal of RPOC
- Surgical: If there is active bleeding or if the patient has products of conception
What is an ectopic pregnancy
This is where there is implantation of the blastocystic tissue anywhere except for the uterine cavity
How would the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy differ from those of a miscarriage
In a miscarriage there would be exessive bleeding vaginally whereas in an ectopic pregnancy the bleeding is internally
What are the 4 major risk factors for an ectopic pregnancy
- Tubal damage often caused by PID
- Previous tubal surgery
- Previous ectopic pregnancy
- IUD
What are the minor causes of an ectopic pregnancy 3
- Cigarette smoking
- Age over 35
- Multiple sexual partners because it increases the risk of PID
What is the main presenting complaint of an ectopic pregnancy
Severe lower abdominal pain with some vomiting
What are the general findings of the examination in an ectopic pregnancy
The patient will have a nongravid uterus with extreme excitation tenderness and an adnexal mass
What does the OS look like in an ectopic pregnancy
The Os will be closed with no products of conseption
What are the 3 factors that point to an ectopic pregnancy until proven otherwise
Positive pregnancy test
Shocked patient
Abdominal peritonism
Under 12 weeks what is required for a TOP
Any women over the age of 12 can ask for a TOP
What are the 4 conditions that allow for a TOP after 12 weeks and less than 20 weeks
- Poses a physical risk to the mother
- There is serious fetal anomaly
- Pregnancy is due to rape or incest
- There are very poor SES
Who needs to sign off on a TOP between 12 and 20 weeks
The patient, doctor and a witness
What are the 2 conditions that allow for a TOP after 20 weeks
- If there is a significant risk to the mother’s health
- There is a significant abnormality that would not allow the baby to survive
How are TOPs done
0-9weeks: Medication is taken at home only with counseling
9-12 weeks: Medication is taken in the hospital to prevent complications.
13-20 weeks: A mini labour is preformed in the hospital
After 20 weeks: Manual vacuum and aspiration is done or a doalation an curettage
What are the medications used in a TOP
Mifepristone followed by Misoprostol 48h later
What are some of the reasons that rape is so common in South Africa
- Poverty
- Lack of employment
- Strongly patriarchal society
- Lack of police and justice
- Societal norms
- High level of drugs and alcohol abuse
- Poor infrastructure e.g. lights in informal settlements
- Limited child care opportunities
Define rape
Sexual penetration of an orifice without a person’s permission
Define consent
Consent is the voluntary uncoerced agreement to an act
What are some of the factors that can invalidate a statement of consent 7
- If force or intimidation is used to gain consent
- If there is a threat of harm or property
- If there is an abuse of a power dynamic
- If it obtained under false pretenses
- If the person if the person is unable to understand the nature of the act e.g. they are under the influence
- If the person is mentally disabled
- Below the age of 12
Define sexual assault
Any person that unlawfully or intentionally sexually violates another person
What are the 3 situations in which sexual assault can be claimed
- contact between the genitals of one person and any other body part of a person, animal or object
- Contact between the mouth of one person and the genitals of another person
- Forced masturbation
Does sex with a child over the age o 12 count as rape
Yes if the person they are having sex with is over the age of 16 then it is considered statutory rape
What is secondary trauma
This is where a victim of a traumatic event has to undergo the trauma of having to report the crime to someone who does not believe them and makes them feel as though it is their fault
What are the 4 principles of empowerment
- Safety: It is vital to make the survive feel as though they are safe
- Restoring control: This extends to the environment, persons body and other situation
- Ongoing support: Dont let them leave without them knowing where to go next
- Respect
What are the 5 steps that should be taken when you find out that someone has been raped
- Check the patient’s HIV status
- If they are negative at the time of the test then start them on post-exposure prophylaxis
- Test for syphilis, hep b
- Treat for STI using a syndromic approach
- Give emergency contraception
What are some of the reasons that a victim does not report rape 5
- The perpetrator is often someone that the person knows
- There is an enormous stigma around rape
- There is often unprofessional behavior around how rape is handled by the police and healthcare workers
- There is a very low conviction rate
- Victims can feel shame and guilt
What are the forms of violence that fall under the IPV act in RSA 8
- Psychological abuse
- Physical violence
- Damage to property
- Stalking
- Rape
- Any form of harassment
- Entry into a residence without permission
- Any form of intimidation
What are the types of psychological abuse that constitute IPV
- Coercive behaviour
- Controlling behavior
- Exposing children to domestic violence
- Related personal abuse
- Spiritual abuse
- Humiliation
- Jealocy
- Threatening to harm a pet
- Exposing sexual orientation
- Threatening selfharm
Who is the most likely victim of IPV
Women in rural areas
What are the 4 stages in the cycle of violence
- Honeymoon phase when everything is good and the person promises to change
- Tension: This is where there are constant insults and threats of violence
- Explosion: This is where there is an act of violence
- Break.
What are some of the reasons that victims of IPV do not report 7
- They do not know that this is what is happening to them
- They are economically dependant on the perpetrator
- They have no where to go after
- They have been gaslight into believing that this is what they deserve
- They have children with the abuser
- System failures
- They are too afraid to report them
What are the 6 R to handling a IPV situation?
- Realise: Self realisation of what the patient is telling you, that abuse is happening
- Recognise: Recognise what the victim is saying in a supportive way
- Relevant clinical exam
- Risk assessment: See if there is a risk of femicide
- Risk plan
- Refer them to an NGO or social worker
What is the first step to take if you suspect abuse
Ask the patient if there is any abuse
Do your report the abuse of an adult patient
No becuase it is disempowering to the patient and it may place the patient at significant risk
What are the types of abnormal vaginal bleeding 5
- Irregular bleeding patterns
- Heavier than usual bleeding
- A bleeding duration that is longer than usual
- Intermenstral bleeding
- Post-coital bleeding
What are the possible structural and non-structural causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding
PALM-COINE
Structural causes:
1. Polyps
2. Adenomosis
3. Leiomyoma
4. Malignancy
Non structural causes:
1. Coagulopathies
2. Ovulatory disorders
3. Endometriosis
4. Iatogenic causes
5. Non classified
What is Adenomyosis
This is where endometrial tissue invades the muscle tissue causing disruption to the normal structure
What are the most likely causes of regular heavy menstral bleeding
- Adenomyosis
- Leiomyoma
- Coagulopathies
- Endometrial causes
- Iatogenic
What are the most likely causes of irregular heavy menstral bleeding
- Polyps
- Ovulatory dysfunction
- Malignancy
- Iatogenic
POMI
How does adenomyosis occur
It is thought that in a previously pregnant women the placenta disrupts the endo myometrial junction allowing for the infiltration of the endometrial cells
What are the 2 main symptoms of adenomyosis
Chronic pelvic pain and because of the increase in the amount of endometrial tissue there is heavy menstation
What does the uterus feel like when Uterine Fibroids are present
On bimanual palpation the uterus is larger than usual and globular in feeling
What is the possible treatment options for adenomyosis
Hysterectomy
What are the possible treatment options for a patient with adenomyosis that wants to still get pregnant
The patient would need to be put on strong analgesia and then COC to decrease the uterine growth
How do coagulopathies lead to increased or heavy menstrations
In the prosess of menstration there is tearing of the small blood vessels that supply the endometrium if the patient has a coagulopathy then they are unable to seal off these vessels
What are the possible treatment options for patients that have a coagulopathy causing heavy menstration
The patient can be given COC to decrease the thickness and the frequency of menstration and then also procoagulopathic drugs to help them clot
What causes a primary disorder of endometrial hemostasis
This is where there is an issue with a specific prostaglandin factor in the coagulation cascade and so there is and inability for the bleeding to seas
What are uterine polyps
These are hyperplastic growths of the endometrial glands and stroma of the endometrium