OBGYN Flashcards
(194 cards)
What is pre-eclampsia?
What is the 1st line management?
~ 2nd line management?
Pregnancy-induced hypertension occurring after 20 weeks gestation with proteinuria.
Labetelol
~ Nifedipine
List some complications of shoulder dystocia: (4)
- Brachial plexus injury (commonly Erb’s palsy (waiter’s tip))
- Perineal tears
- Fetal hypoxia (→ cerebral palsy if prolonged)
- Postpartum haemorrhage (T = trauma!)
What pathology is seen in the condition: “transposition of the great arteries”?
What needs to occur postnatally to make it temporarily compatible with life? - Give examples of 3 things that could occur:
This condition is usually detected antenatally. What is given immediately after birth before the baby is transferred for surgical correction? - What does this do?
The pulmonary artery arises from the left ventricle & the aorta arises from the right ventricle (they’ve swapped)
There needs to be a shunt between R & L ventricles so that oxygenated blood goes to systemic circulation
1) patent ductus arteriosus (connection between pulmonary trunk & aorta)
2) atrioseptal defect
3) ventriculoseptal defect
Prostaglandin E is given - prevents the ductus arteriosus from closing

How long after starting the following contraception is additional protection (condom’s) needed?
a) combined contraceptive pill
b) progesterone-only pill
a) 7 days
b) 2 days
What are Braxton-Hicks contractions?
Are they indicative of the onset of labour?
Occasional irregular contractions of the uterus.
They are NOT true contractions & do not indicate the onset of labour
List some common symptoms of ovarian cancer: (6)
What are the 2 initial investigations if ovarian cancer is suspected?
- Abdominal bloating
- Early satiety
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Ascites
- Pelvic pain
CA125 & Transvaginal US
State the 5 criteria of the Bishops Score:
~ state the characteristics seen in each criteria that indicate onset of labour
What is the Bishops Score used for?
~ what is the pivoting score?
→ Position of the cervix (anterior)
→ Effacement of the cervix (length - shorter = better)
→ Consistency of the cervix (soft)
→ Dilatation of the cervix (bigger = better)
→ Station of the presenting part (distance in cm in relation to the ischial spines)
Bishops score is used to assess whether induction of labour would be successful
~ score of 8 indicates successful induction
What causes urge incontinence?
What causes stress incontinence?
Urge incontinence:
Overactive detrusor muscle (aka, overactive bladder)
Stress incontinence:
Weak pelvic floor & sphincter muscles
Which muscles compose the pelvic diaphragm?
Levator ani (puborectalis, pubococcygeus, iliococcygeus) & coccygeus
What is placenta praevia?
When would placenta praevia be diagnosed in a pregnancy if it’s present?
What is the common presentation of placenta praevia?
If someone is identified as having placenta praevia, when would they be given repeat US’s?
What is the management of placenta praevia regarding the delivery?
Placenta praevia: when the placenta is attached in the lower portion of the uterus - often covering the cervical os.
At the 20 week anomaly scan
Painless bleeding (antepartum haemorhage)
32 & 36 weeks gestation (if present on the 32 week scan to guide decisions about delivery)
C-section should be planned for 36-37 weeks (to avoid spontaneous labour as vaginal delivery is contraindicted)
What is the commonest presenting symptom of endometrial cancer?
List 2 other common symptoms:
Name 2 protective factors against endometrial cancer:
POST-MENOPAUSAL BLEEDING !
~ Intermenstrual bleeding
~ Unusually heavy menstrual bleeding
• Smoking
• COCP
What are the steps of the 2nd stage of labour? (The steps/ movements of the baby as it moves along the birth canal) (7)
1) Engagement: foetus head is fully engaged with pelvis
2) Descent: foestus starts to descend along birth canal
3) Flexion: foetus head flexes towards chest
4) Internal rotation: foetus internally rotates to face mothers back
5) Extension: foetal head extends & is delivered
6) Restitution: foetus externally rotates to face anteriorly
7) Expulsion: anterior shoulder is delivered, followed by the rest of body
When would a primary postpartum haemorrhage occur?
When would a secondary postpartum haemorrhage occur?
How many mls of blood needs to be lost for a classification of:
a) minor PPH
b) major/ moderate PPH
c) severe PPH
What are the 4 causes of a PPH?
~ what is the commonest cause?
- *Primary**: within the first 24h
- *Secondary**: between 24h - 12 weeks after delivery
- *Minor** PPH: under 1000mls
- *Major/ moderate** PPH: 1000 - 2000mls
- *Severe** PPH: 2000mls +
- Tissue (retained placenta)
- Tone (of uterus = uterine antony is commonest cause)
- Trauma (eg, perineal tear)
- Thombin (bleeding disorder)
What are the steps of the 2nd stage of labour? (The steps/ movements of the baby as it moves along the birth canal) (7)
1) Engagement: foetus head is fully engaged with pelvis
2) Descent: foestus starts to descend along birth canal
3) Flexion: foetus head flexes towards chest
4) Internal rotation: foetus internally rotates to face mothers back
5) Extension: foetal head extends & is delivered
6) Restitution: foetus externally rotates to face anteriorly
7) Expulsion: anterior shoulder is delivered, followed by the rest of body
What is the diagnostic triad for hyperemesis gravidarum?
- >5% pre-pregnancy weight loss
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte imbalance
Erb’s palsy results in damage to what nerves of the brachial plexus?
What obstetric emergency can result in Erb’s palsy?
C5 & C6
Shoulder dystocia
Explain the pathology in each miscarriage & say whether miscarriage is certain or not:
a) Threatened miscarriage
b) Inevitable miscarriage
c) Complete miscarriage
d) Missed miscarriage
a) Threatened miscarriage:
Mild bleeding, mild/ no pain, cervical os is closed, foetus present intrauterine - Miscarriage may or may not occurr
b) Inevitable miscarriage:
Heavy bleeding, pain, cevical os is open, foetus currently present intrauterine - Miscarriage is inevitable
c) Complete miscarriage
+/- bleeding/ pain, cevical os closed, NO products of conception intrauterine anymore (all have been expelled) - Miscarriage has already occurred
d) Missed miscarriage
Asymptomatic, cevical os closed, foetus currently present intrauterine but is dead
If a woman is *Rh- and is carrying a Rh+ baby and there is no intervention, what will happen during delivery/ when there is mixing of blood?
Why does this happen?
When should this be checked for during pregnancy?
What can be given as prophylaxis for this?
*Rh = rhesus
The women will start developing anti-D antibodies after any sensitising event (commonly giving birth)
If someone is rhesus negative, they don’t have the D antigen on their RBC’s so if their blood comes into contact with someone that is rhesus positive then their blood will start producing antibodies against the foreign antigens.
Rh status of mother & baby is checked at the booking appointment (week 10)
If mother is negative & baby is positive, prophylaxis = anti D injection at 28 weeks gestation PLUS immediately after any sensitising events
What is the physiological cause of the menopause?
Ovarian failure* which results in oestrogen deficiency
* Decreased ovarian function due to very few follicles remaining
List some symptoms of pre-eclampsia: (5)
What medication is used to treat a seizure in eclampsia?
Headache
Changes in vision (commonly blurred vision)
Nausea / vomiting
Ankle oedema
Upper abdominal pain
Eeclampsia: IV magnesium sulphate
List some drug free techniques to control pain during labour: (3)
List the 4 main pain relief options for labour that involve medications:
- TENS machine
- Birthing ball
- Birthing pool
- Entenox (gas & air = NO)
- IM diamorphine
- Remifentanil (administered as patient controlled anaesthesia - patient has a button to press when needing a dose)
- Epidural
What method is used in primary prevention of cervical cancer in the UK?
What method is used in secondary prevention of cervical cancer in the UK?
What 2 strains of HPV are associated with cervical cancer?
HPV vaccine to 12-14y olds
Smear tests - every 5 years between 25-64y
Strains 16, 18
List some common symptoms of menopause. (6)
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Reduced libido
Mood swings
Fatigue
Around what week gestation should a booking appointment occur in?
Week 10


