Pregnancy Physiology Flashcards
How do breasts change during pregnancy?
Increased size and vascularity – warm, tense and tender
Increased pigmentation of areola and nipple
Secondary areola appears
Montgomery tubercles appear on areola (sebaceous glands on areola)
Colostrum (first milk) like fluid can be expressed by end of third month
What happens to blood volume in pregnancy?
Increases by up to 50-70%
What happens to systemic vascular resistance?
it reduces
What happens to blood flow, heart rate, cardiac output and stroke volume?
They increase
What happens to CO when supine during pregnancy?
It falls by 25%
How does oxygen consumption change during pregnancy?
It increases
What happens to the CV system postpartum?
Returns to normal after 3 months
BV decreases by 10% post delivery
BP falls then rises again 3-7 days post-delivery
SVR increases over2 weeks toaround 30% above delivery levels
HR returns to normal after 2 weeks
What happens to the urinary collecting system during pregnancy?
It dilates and is more prominenent on the right
What happens to renal plasma flow during pregnancy?
It increases by 60-80% by the end of the second trimester
What happens to protein excretion during pregnancy?
It increases
How does urine change during pregnancy?
Microscopic haematuria and glycosuria becomes more common
How many women develop oedema in pregnancy?
roughly 80%
What happens to urea and creatinine levels during pregnancy?
Decrease
What happens to haemoglobin, hematocrit and red cell count during pregnancy?
Decrease
How does platelet cell count change?
It decreases
