Ectopic Pregnancy
Spontaneous Abortion
Most miscarriages ccur early in pregnancy and is estimated to have an incidence rate of 10-20 percent of all pregnancies. Spontaneous abortion late in the pregnancy is usually caused by placental abruption, or obstruction of the blood supply through the umbilical cord.
Causes of spontaneous abortion in early pregnancy include chromosomal abnormalities, maldevelopment of the embryo, defective implantation of fertilized ovum within the endometrial cavity. (Crowley, 2014)
Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the embryo develops outside its normal location in the uterine cavity. Most occur in the fallopian tubes.
Risk factors include:
1. A previous infection in the fallopian tubes, followed by scarring and fusion of tubal folds. This slows the passage of the fertilized egg through the tube.
2. Failure of the muscular contractions of the tubal wall to propel the ovum through the tube.
Signs and symptoms of normal pregnancy occur , but then later on in the pregnancy complaints of abdominal pain and tenderness arrise as well as irritation of the pelvic region and vaginal bleeding may occur. Rupture of the fallopian tube may also occur, causing severe abdominal pain and bleeding. This can be fatal if not treated. (Crowley, 2014)
Prenatal & Pregnancy Dysfunctions
Hemolytic Disease
Hemolytic disease of the newborn is a hemolytic anemia resulting from the mother being sensitized to a foreign blood group antigen.
Diagnosis of Hemolytic Disease can be made when the following features are demonstrated:
1. The mother is Rh negative and the infant is Rh positive.
2. The mother's blood contains Rh antibodies.
3. The antibodies are attached to the infant's red cells as determined by a direct Coombs test.
4. The antibody damages the infant's RBCs, as demonstrated by anemia and elecated blood bilirubin, which reflect the severity of the hemolytic anemia.
Treatment includes exchange transfusion to gradually replace the infant's Rh-positive blood with Rh-negative blood, and fluorescent light therapy.
(Crowley, 2014)