Week 4; High Risk OB Flashcards
(131 cards)
The current status of a woman’s labor is determined by the:
- contraction pattern (frequency, duration, and intensity),
- status of the amniotic membranes (ruptured or intact)
- the cervical exam (dilation, effacement, and fetal station)
Adolescent during labor and delivery
-Adolescent who has not had prenatal care requires close observation during labor
-Risk for pregnancy and labor complications
-Alert for physiologic complications of labor
-Support role of nurse depends on young woman’s support system during labor
-Trusting relationship, nurturing rapport, respect for expectant adolescent
-The younger the adolescent, the less she may be able to participate actively in labor and delivery process, even if she has taken prenatal classes
-Very young adolescents have fewer coping mechanisms, less experience to draw on
Incomplete cognitive development → fewer problem-solving capabilities
-Ego integrity may be more threatened by experience of labor
Labor and delivery over age 35
-Respond to stresses of labor similarly to younger women
-Risk of maternal death higher for women over age 35
-Even higher for women over age 40
-More likely to have chronic medical condition that can complicate pregnancy
-Higher rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity and mortality
-Risk of pregnancy complications higher in women over age 35 with chronic condition such as diabetes or hypertension or who are in poor general health
-Risks much lower than previously believed for physically fit without preexisting medical conditions
Dysfunctional labor
Does not result in normal progression
Problems with: powers of labor, the passenger, the passage, the psyche, abnormal Labor duration, also can be a combo of these
Problems of the powers of labor
Ineffective Contractions, ineffective maternal pushing
Problems with the passenger
Fetal size, Abnormal presentation or position, multifetal pregnancy
Problems with the Passage
Pelvis, maternal soft tissue obstructions
Problem with the Psyche
Stress, pain, fear
Abnormal duration
abnormally long or abnormally short
Ineffective contractions possible causes:
Maternal fatigue, maternal inactivity, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, hypoglycemia, excessive analgesia or anesthesia, maternal catecholamines secreted in response to stress, disproportion of maternal pelvis and fetal presenting part, uterine overdistention such as with multiple gestation or hydramnios (excess volume of amniotic fluid)
Two patterns of ineffective uterine contractions are:
labor dystocia and tachysystole
Labor dystocia –
difficult labor, failure to progress
Tachysystole –
more than 5 contractions in 10 minutes
Other concerns with contractions:
lasting 2 minutes or longer, less than 2 minute resting time between or failure of uterus to return to resting tone in between
ineffective Maternal pushing possible causes:
Use of non physiological pushing techniques and positions, maternal exhaustion, decreased or absent urge to push, analgesia or anesthesia that suppresses woman’s urge to push, psychological unreadiness to “let go” of baby
Labor dystocia interventions
-Depends on cause
-No limit to duration of the second stage of labor as long as the woman and fetus are stable with normal VS and FHR patterns.
-Changing positions: Upright positions such as squatting add gravity; semi-sitting, side-lying and pushing while sitting on the toile are other options.
-Sometimes allowing woman who is exhausted to rest and push with every other contraction.
-IV fluids
-Pain management – epidural block may reduce effectiveness of contractions. Epidural analgesia – pain control without major loss of sensation – may lose feel of urge to push
-Therapeutic communication, calming
-Education on fetal descent may decrease fear of process
-Oxytocin and amniotomy (intentional rupture of the amniotic sac) to promote labor
-Decision to order uterine stimulant or relaxant is very individualized and based on each woman’s labor pattern
Management of tachysystole may include
Tocolytic drugs to reduce uterine resting tone and improve placental blood flow.
Problems with the passenger; fetal size
Macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, rotation abnormalities - occiput transverse or occiput posterior, abnormal fetal presentation or position, multifetal pregnancy – overextension of uterus
Macrosomia –
infant weighs more than 8 lb. 13 ounces
Shoulder dystocia –
delayed or difficult birth of the shoulders, urgent because cord may be compressed
Problems with the passenger interventions
Depend on the problem
-Positioning to promote vaginal delivery
-Shoulder dystocia – “turtle sign” when head is born it retracts against perineum – team prepares for emergency surgical delivery because cord can be compressed between fetal body and pelvis
-External Cephalic version – also called “manual version” – when attempts are made to manually move fetus in breech positon to cephalic presentation. If can’t be moved C-section usually performed to prevent complications.
-Surgical Delivery/Cesarean birth if vaginal birth is not possible or is inadvisable
Problems with passage
-Variations of maternal bony pelvis or soft tissue problems that inhibit fetal descent; examples: small pelvis or soft tissue blockage
-A full bladder can also cause a soft tissue obstruction; assess for full bladder
-Encourage to void every 1-2 hours
Catheter – intermittent or Foley insertion
Problems of the psyche
-Stress; secretion of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) by adrenal glands stimulates uterine beta receptors which inhibit uterine contractions. Increased glucose consumption reduces energy supply. Catecholamines also divert blood from uterus to skeletal muscles. Pain perception increased and pain tolerance is decreased
Abnormal labor duration
Prolonged or precipitous