High Risk Pregnancies
Anna Mae Smith, MPAS, PA-C
DEFINITION
A pregnancy in which the mother, fetus, or
newborn is or will be in a state of increased
jeopardy
75% of obstetric deaths are preventable &
most are a result of
HEMORRHAGE
INFECTION
HYPERTENSIVE states
Perinatal death
Those not caused by congenital anomalies
Breech
Placental separation
Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia
Twinning
Pyelonephritis
Placenta previa/abruptio
Hydramnios
INITIAL SCREENING
HISTORY
Maternal Age - young or old
Reproductive history
Medical complications
Physical Exam
TWINS
Dyzogotic twins - (fraternal)
originate from two zygotes!
Account for about 2/3 of twins
rate increases with age
same or different sex
hereditary tendency
genotype
of the mom
one set of dyzotic twins twice as likely as general
population of doing it again!!
TWINS
Monozygotic - (identical)
form from one zygote
If the division of the inner cell mass occurs
after the amniotic cavity occurs (8days) the
identical twins will be in the same amniotic &
chorionic sac
this
accounts for only 1% of monozygotic twins
Monozygotic twins cond
70% of monozygotic twins will have a
separate amniotic sac, single chorion, & a
common placenta
29% develop from early separation of the
blastomeres (first 3 days)
each embryo has its own amnionic & chorionic
sac
The placentas may be separate or fused
Maternal Complications
The physiologic changes occurring in the
mother with a twin gestation are an
exaggeration of what occurs in a singleton
pregnancy.
She has a greater increase in blood volume,
pulse, cardiac output, and weight gain.
Increased Risk for...
Preterm labor
Hypertension
Abruption
Anemia
Hydramnios
Urinary tract infection
Postpartum hemorrhage
Cesarean section
INFANT Complications
Prematurity
small infants weighing less than 2500 g
from a twin pregnancy fare better in the
nursery and have lower mortality rates than
comparable-weight infants from singleton
pregnancies.
INFANT Complications
congenital anomalies is increased two to
three times in twins, and this increase is
mostly confined monozygotic infants
Discordance - unequal weights
altered surface area of placenta
twin to twin transfusion
Twin complications
Vanishing fetus
Locking Twins
Dead fetus syndrome
Delayed delivery of one twin
Cord clamping
Abruption
Epilepsy
Seizure Activity
Maternal injury
miscarriage
fetal hypoxia
Status epilepticus increases the mortality
rate for both mom & fetus!!
Seizures
May be related to hormone levels in some
women
90% will have a good outcome with
adequate planning
25%will have fewer seizures when pregnant
25%will have more
50% no change in seizure activity
Increased risk of
Pre-eclampsia
anemia
vaginal bleeding
C-section
abruption
hyperemesis gravidarum
AED anticonvulsant drugs
Many are anti-folate, therefore critical to
begin folate replacement prior to conception
Most are secreted in breast milk
High teratogenicity (neural tube defects)
seen with
phenobarbital
valproic acid
carbamazepine
Risk of Congenital Problems
MAJOR: 4-6% ( general population - 2-4%)
MINOR: 6-20%
Most common abnormality - Cleft Lip&
palate & congenital heart disease
Vit K deficiency in the newborn from
AEDs
THROMBOEMBOLIC
DISEASE
More estrogen
May occur at any stage but more common later
DVT!!!
VIRDOWs TRIAD
hypercoagulable state
venous stasis
endothelial injury
Hypercoagulation
Protective for delivery
Liver produces more clotting factors!