11/5- Complications of Late Pregnancy Flashcards

(45 cards)

1
Q

What are the 4 common complications of late pregnancy?

A
  • Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
  • Preterm labor
  • Fetal death/stillbirth
  • Amniotic fluid abnormalities
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2
Q

Case 1)

  • Mrs. Williams presents to your office at 32 weeks gestation for a routine prenatal visit. Her pregnancy has been uncomplicated so far.
  • Today she complains of ankle swelling and a mild headache. Your nurse reports the patient’s blood pressure as 155/92.
  • Urinalysis reveals 2+ proteinuria.
  • Should you send the patient home or to the hospital?
A

To the hospital!

  • There are many hypertensive disorders in pregnancy to think about
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3
Q

How does blood pressure change in pregnancy?

A
  • At the beginning, it goes down a little
  • In 3rd TM, it begins to rise
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4
Q

What are some hypertensive disorders that may be present in pregnancy?

A
  • Chronic hypertension
  • Preeclampsia/eclampsia
  • Gestational hypertension
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5
Q

Define: chronic hypertension

A
  • Present before conception
  • Dx before 20 wk, or persists > 6 wk postpartum
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6
Q

Define: preeclampsia/eclampsia

A

Hypertension appearing after 20 wk gestation in association with proteinuria

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7
Q

Define: gestational hypertension

A

Hypertension appearing after 20 wk with no other evidence of preeclampsia (e.g. preeclampsia without the signs)

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8
Q

What is the epidemiology of preeclampsia?

  • Prevalence
  • More common in what populations/conditions
A

5-6% of pregnant pts

More common in:

  • Maternal age < 20 or > 35
  • African-Americans
  • Nulliparas (never given birth before)
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
  • Multiple gestations
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9
Q

What are the diagnostic criteria for preeclampsia?

A

Hypertensive criteria

  • Systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg
  • On 2 occasions at least 4 hours apart
  • After 20 weeks pregnant with previously normal blood pressure

OR

  • Systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mm Hg

PLUS Protein/symptomatic criteria

  • Proteinuria > 300 mg/day (protein/creatinine ratio 0.3, urine dipstick +1 if no other method available)

OR

  • Thrombocytopenia (Platelets < 100,000/microliter)
  • Renal insufficiency (Cr >1.1, or doubling of serum cr)
  • Impaired liver function (transaminases 2x normal)
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Cerebral or visual symptoms
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10
Q

What are the diagnostic criteria for preeclampsia with severe features?

A
  • Systolic bp >160 mm Hg or diastolic bp >110 mm Hg on two occasions at least 4 hours apart
  • Thrombocytopenia (Platelets under 100,000/microliter)
  • Impaired liver function (transaminases twice normal)
  • Severe persistent right upper quadrant or epigastric pain unresponsive to medication and not accounted for by other diagnosis
  • Renal insufficiency (Cr >1.1, or doubling of serum creatinine in absence of other renal disease)
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Cerebral or visual symptoms
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11
Q

Describe the pathogenesis of preeclampsia

A
  • Endothelial cell injury
  • “Rejection” phenomenon (insufficient blocking antibodies)
  • Abnormal placentation (incomplete invasion of trophoblast as placenta implants in uterus)
  • Imbalance between thromboxane and prostacyclin
  • Dietary factors
  • Genetic factors
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12
Q

T/F: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder

A

True

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13
Q

What systems are affected in preeclampsia? How?

A
  • CNS: arteriolar thrombosis, microinfarcts, petechial hemorrhages
  • Pulmonary: pulmonary edema, ARDS
  • Cardiovascular: depleted intravascular volume
  • Liver: hepatocellular damage, hemorrhage, rupture
  • Renal: decreased GFR, swollen and leaky glomerular capillaries, acute tubular necrosis
  • Hematologic: low platelets, hemolytic anemia, DIC, HELLP
  • Placental: poor intervillous blood flow, infarctions, IUGR
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14
Q

What is the prevalence of eclampsia?

  • Occurs when
A
  • Occurs in 0.2-0.5% of pregnancies
  • Approximately 75% occur antepartum
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15
Q

What are the symptoms of eclampsia?

  • Cause
  • Etiology
A
  • Tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure activity
  • Poor correlation between severity of HTN and occurrence of seizures
  • Precise etiology of seizures is unknown (perhaps vasospasm)
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16
Q

What is shown here?

A

MRI findings with posterior reversible encephalopathy

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17
Q

How is preeclapmsia managed?

A
  • Delivery is the only cure (think it has to do with placenta; got to get it out of there)
  • Control hypertension:
  • Hydralazine
  • Labetolol
  • Nifedipine
  • Prevent seizures:
  • Parenteral magnesium sulfate
  • Optimize fetal outcome
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18
Q

Case 2)

  • C.N. is a 23 year old G1 at 30 weeks gestation, and presents to your office complaining of lower abdominal pain and pelvic pressure.
  • She is currently unemployed and is “stressed out” over financial issues. She is found to be having contractions every 4 minutes, and her cervix is partially dilated.
  • Appropriate management includes admission to L/D and what additional measures?
A
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19
Q

____ is the #1 killer of neonates?

  • Prevalence?
A

Prematurity is the #1 killer of neonates

  • Difficult to detect and treat
  • Multiple etiologies
  • Affects ~10% of US pregnancies
20
Q

The preterm birth rate is _______ (increasing/decreasing)? Why?

A

Preterm birth rate is increasing

  • Multiple gestation rate is increasing
  • Increased obstetric interventions (to prevent fetal death)
  • Increased use of US-dating of pregnancies
21
Q

What is the mortality rate with prematurity?

A
  • Pretty much 100% before 24 wks
22
Q

What are risk factors for high mortality with prematurity?

A
  • Low gestational age
  • Low birth weight
  • Male
  • No steroids
23
Q

What is the neurologic morbidity of prematurity? (table)

A
  • At 22 wks, none born live were alive at 6 mo
  • At 24 wks, 56% were still alive at 6 mo but only 21% did not have severe brain abnormalities
  • At 25 wks, 79% were alive at 6 mo and 72% did not have severe brain abnormalities (pic 494)
24
Q

What is a big risk with prematurity?

  • Risk factors?
A

Intraventricular hemorrhage

  • Higher risk with lower infant weight

(50% if under 1kg but only 2% if > 2 kg)

25
How is preterm labor diagnosed/defined?
Painful uterine contractions with progressive cervical change at gestational age between 20 weeks and 36+6 weeks.
26
What are risk factors for preterm labor? - Maternal - Genetic
_Maternal_ - Low maternal weight gain - Low socioeconomic status - Substance abuse - Young maternal age - Psychologic stress **- Previous preterm labor** _Genetic_ - Collagen defects - Uterine anomalies
27
T/F: most cases of preterm labor are of unknown etiology
True
28
What is the role of infection in preterm labor?
In the decidua and/or amnion: - Bacteria products may activate monocytes to produce IL-1, IL-6, and TNF - These cause release of arachidonic acid (platelet activating factors) - Release of PGE2 and F2a - Results in myometrium and uterine contractions
29
What is PROM? - Describe the process - How to manage
Premature Rupture of Membranes - Loss of mechanical barrier to infection - Release of prostaglandins secondary to inflammatory change - Majority will deliver within 48 hours of PROM - Management dependent on suspicion of intra-amniotic infection
30
What are complications of PROM? - Fetal - Maternal
_Fetal_ - Prematurity - Pulmonary hypoplasia - Infectious complications - Structural deformities _Maternal_ - Uterine infection - Sepsis
31
How to manage preterm labor?
- Admission to L/D - IV hydration/urinalysis - Tocolytic agents - Maternal corticosteroids to induce fetal lung maturity - Antibiotics if delivery likely or with PPROM
32
Describe the effects of giving the mother corticosteroids to induce fetal lung maturity - How long does this take
- Corticosteroids enhance surfactant production by type 2 alveolar cells - Increase neonatal lung compliance - Decreased alveolar protein leakage - Stabilization of cellular architecture - REQUIRES 48 HOURS FOR OPTIMAL EFFECT
33
What are tocolytic agents?
- Beta mimetics - Magnesium sulfate - CCBs - Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors
34
What are the mechanisms of action/details of use for the following tocolytic agents? - Beta mimetics - Magnesium sulfate - CCBs - Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors
- **Beta mimetics**: B2 recep agonists cause uterine relaxation (turbuteline) * Not recommended for long-term/maintenance use - **Magnesium sulfate**: unknown action; presumed interference with Ca role in contractile apparatus - **CCBs**: block cellular entry of Ca, reducing contractility - **Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors** (indosin) * Not used after 32 wks; may cause premature closure of ductus arteriosus in the heart
35
What are adverse side effects of the following tocolytic agents? - Beta mimetics - Magnesium sulfate - CCBs - Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors
- **Beta mimetics**: tachycardia, hypotension, nausea/vomiting, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia - **Magnesium sulfate**: flushing, N/V, headache, weakness, diplopia, pulmonary edema, chest pain, hypotension, respiratory depression - **CCBs**: hypotension, tachycardia, headache, flushing, dizziness - **Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors**: GI upset, coagulation disturbances, renal failure * Fetal: renal dysfunction, oligohydramnios, premature closure of ductus arteriosus
36
Case 3) - A.S. is a 34 year old at 29 weeks gestation with her 3rd pregnancy. She has gestational diabetes and chronic hypertension. - During her office visit, she reports decreased fetal activity, and has felt none since this morning. - Ultrasound evaluation confirms fetal demise. - What is the likely etiology in this case?
Risk factors of stillbirth include: - Gestational diabetes - Chronic hypertension
37
What is the definition of a stillbirth? - How many are for unknown reasons
Antepartum or intrapartum death of fetus \> 500g - Determination of etiology requires rigorous investigation - Unexplained in 25-30% of cases (kind of good, because less risk of recurrence in later pregnancies)
38
What are fetal causes of fetal death?
- Chromosomal abnormalities - Other structural anomalies - Non-immune hydrops - Infection (think TORCH infections; Toxo, Parvo, CMV, Syphilis)
39
What are placental causes of fetal death?
- Abruption - Fetal-maternal hemorrhage (if blood types don't match) - Cord accident (strangulation or knot) - Placental insufficiency - Intrapartum asphyxia - Twin transfusion syndrome - Chorioamnionitis
40
What are maternal causes of fetal death?
- Antiphospholipid antibodies - Diabetes - Hypertension - Trauma - Sepsis - Uterine rupture - Postdates pregnancy
41
How is a stillbirth managed?
- Delivery by usual means - Autopsy and other investigation - Allow for grieving - Follow-up visit (high risk for post-partum depression)
42
Where should amniotic fluid be sampled?
All 4 quadrants
43
What are some amniotic fluid abnormalities?
**Hydramnios (polyhydramnios)** - AFI \> 90th%ile **Oligohydramnios** - AFI \< 10th%ile - Max vertical pocket \< 2 cm
44
What are causes of polyhadramnios?
Excessive production: - Maternal diabetes - Twins Impaired swallowing - Neurologic disorders GI obstruction - Intestinal atresia
45
What are causes of oligohydramnios?
- Impaired production: * Uteroplacental insufficiency * Renal dysplasias - Fetal renal obstruction - Leaking amniotic membranes