Antenatal care and screening Flashcards
(113 cards)
What percentage of woman are affected by morning sickness?
80-85%
Which conditions can make morning sickness worse?
Anything that raises human chorionic gonadotrophin e.g. twins or hydatidiform molar pregnancy
What can morning sickness progress to?
Hyperemesis gravidarum
When does morning sickness usually get better?
After the first trimester (Or after the first 16 weeks)
What happens to cardiac output during pregnancy? Why is there a change?
Cardiac output increases by 30-50% due to an increase in the heart rate from 70 to 90bpm
In terms of cardiac issues what is a common complaint during pregnancy and why can this be an issue?
Palpitations, differentiating between changing physiology and pathology can be hard.
What happens to blood pressure throughout the pregnancy?
It rises during the second trimester but returns to normal by the third
Why does the blood pressure rise during the second trimester?
> Expansion of the uteroplacental circulation
A fall in systemic vascular resistance
A reduction in blood viscosity
A reduction in sensitivity to angiotensin
What happens to the bladder capacity during pregnancy, when does this occur?
The bladder capacity is reduced during the third trimester due to the increase in pressure of the pelvis by the ever expanding uterus.
What happens to urine output during pregnancy?
Increases
Why does urine output increase during pregnancy
> Renal plasma flow increases by 25-50%
> Glomerular Filtration Rate increases by 50%
What changes to serum urea and creatinine are their during pregnancy and why does this occur?
There is a decrease due to the increase in glomerular filtration rate and partly due to the dilution effect of increased plasma volume.
What urinary condition other than increased urine output are pregnant woman at higher risk of?
1) Urinary tract infections
2) Pyelonephritis
Why are pregnant woman at higher risk of UTI’s?
There is an increase in urinary stasis
Why are pregnant woman at higher risk of pyelonephritis?
As hydronephrosis is physiological during the third trimester which increases the risk of pyelonephritis.
What can UTis/pyelonephritis increase the risk of?
Preterm labour
During pregnancy what happens to plasma volume?
Increases by roughly 50%
During pregnancy what happens to RBC mass?
Increases by roughly 25%
What does an increase in the plasma volume and RBC mass lead to?
A drop in the haemoglobin by dilution from 133 to 121g/L
What happens to the iron requirement during pregnancy and why?
Increase by 1g, most of increased iron requirement is for the fetoplacental unit
When should iron supplements be given in pregnancy ?
If HB is <110 on routine testing at 28 weeks
What happens to the platelet count during pregnancy and why?
Falls by dilution
What happens to the white blood cell count in pregnancy?
Increases slightly from 9000 to 12000 uL
What is the effect of progesterone on the respiratory system?
Acts to centrally reduce CO2 by:
> Increasing tidal volume
> Increasing respiratory rate
> Increasing plasma PH