Bleeding in Late Pregnancy Flashcards
(78 cards)
What is the definition of bleeding in early pregnancy?
<24 weeks
What is the definition of bleeding in late pregnancy?
Antepartum haemorrhage - UK >/= 24 weeks
When does the placenta become the foetus’ main source of nutrition?
From 6 weeks
What are the functions of the placenta?
- Gas transfer
- Metabolism/waste disposal
- Hormone production (HPL & hGh-V)
- Protective ‘filter’
What is the definition of antepartum haemorrhage?
- Bleeding from the genital tract after 24 weeks gestation and before the end of the second stage of labour
- bleeding from or into the genital tract, occurring from 24+0 weeks of pregnancy and prior to the birth of the baby
What are the commonest causes of APH?
Placental abruption and placenta praevia
What is the aetiology of APH?
- Placental problem
- praevia
- abruption
- Uterine problem
- rupture
- indeterminate
- vasa praevia
- local causes
- infection
- ectropion
- polyp
- carcinoma
What is the DDx of APH?
- Heavy show
- Cystitis
- Haemorrhoids
What is spotting
Blood staining, streaking or on wiping
What is minor APH?
<50ml settled
What is major APH?
50-1000ml no shock
What is massive APH?
>1000ml and/or shock
What is placental abruption?
Separation of a normally implanted placenta- partially or totally before birth of the foetus
CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS
Placental abruption occurs in _% of pregnancies
Placental abruption occurs in __% of APH
Placental abruption occurs in 1% of pregnancies
Placental abruption occurs in 40% of APH
What is the pathophysiology of placental abruption?
- vasospasm followed by arteriole rupture into the decidua; blood escapes into the amniotic sac or further under the placenta and into myometrium
- causes tonic contraction and interrupts placental circulation which causes hypoxia
- results in couvelaire uterus
What are the risk factors for placental abruption
- 70% have no risk factors
- pre-eclampsia/hypertension
- trauma- blunt, forceful- domestic violence/RTA
- smoking/cocaine/amphetamine
- medical thrombophilias/renal disease/diabetes
- polyhydramnios
- multiple pregnancy
- preterm-PROM
- abnormal placenta
- previous abruption
What are the symptoms of placental abruption?
- severe continuous abdominal pain
- backache with posterior placenta
- bleeding (may be concealed)
- preterm labour
- maternal collapse
What are the abdominal signs of placental abruption?
- uterus LFD or normal
- uterine tenderness
- woody hard uterus
- fetal parts difficult to identify
- may be in preterm labour (with heavy show)
What are the signs of placental abruption in the foetus?
- fetal heart rate: bradycardia/absent (intrauterine death)
- CTG shows irritable uterus
- 1 contraction/minute
- FH abnormality- tachycardia, loss of variablility, decelerations
Describe the management of placental abruption
- resuscitate mother
- assess & deliver the baby
- manage the complications
- debrief the parents
Describe resuscitation of mother in placental abruption
2 large bore IV access
Bloods: FBC, clotting, LFT U&Es, Xmatch 4-6 units RBC, kleihauer (Fetal Hb in mum)
IV fluids
Catheterise- urometer
What are the maternal complications of placental abruption?
- hypovolaemic shock
- anaemia
- PPH
- renal failure from renal tubular necrosis
- coagulopathy (FFP, cryoprecipitate)
- infection
- complications of blood transfusion
- thromboembolism
- prolonged hospital stay
- psychological sequelae
- mortality- rare
What are the foetal complications with Placental abruption?
- IUD (14%)
- hypoxia
- prematurity- iatrogenic & spontaenous
- small for gestational age and foetal growth restriction
What is the treatment of anti-phospholipid syndrome causing placental abruption?
LMWH & LDA