Introduction Description: Vaginal bleeding during the third trimester of pregnancy (generally >25–27 weeks gestation). Vaginal bleeding should be seen as a symptom, rather than a diagnosis. Most often, the blood is of maternal origin. Prevalence: Bleeding complicates 4%–5% of pregnancies.…
Introduction Description: In the first trimester, the terms miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, and early pregnancy loss are used interchangeably. Abortion is the loss or failure of early pregnancy (generally first trimester) in several forms: complete, incomplete, inevitable, missed, septic, and threatened.…
Introduction Description: Shoulder dystocia is an obstruction to delivery that is caused by the impaction of the fetal shoulder behind the maternal symphysis. Shoulder dystocia is less commonly due to an impaction of the posterior fetal shoulder on the sacral…
Introduction Description: Isoimmunization to any fetal blood group not possessed by the mother is possible. The most common example is the Rh (D) factor. What was once a common cause for intrauterine fetal death has been largely eradicated by prophylactic…
Introduction Description: Although the term puerperal infection can be used to describe any infection during or after labor, it generally applies to the infection of the uterus and surrounding tissues after delivery. This can vary from mild to life-threatening severities.…
Introduction Description: Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) is the most common dermatosis specific to pregnancy. It is also called polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP), Bourne toxemic rash of pregnancy, linear immunoglobulin M (IgM) dermatosis of pregnancy, or…
Introduction Description: Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome (occurring after 20 weeks gestation) of reduced organ perfusion, vasospasm, and endothelial activation that is characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, end-organ failure, and other symptoms. Pregnancy can induce hypertension or aggravate existing hypertension. Edema…
Introduction Description: Postpartum depression is a cluster of symptoms that are characterized by a disturbance of mood; loss of sense of control; intense mental, emotional, and physical anguish; and loss of self-esteem associated with childbirth. There is a spectrum of…
Introduction Description: Postpartum breast engorgement is characterized by tender, swollen, hard breasts that are caused by the accumulation of milk in the postpartum period or during weaning or interstitial edema with the onset of lactation after birth. Prevalence: Common. Predominant…
Introduction Description: Polyhydramnios (also known as hydramnios) is an abnormal increase in the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. This diagnosis is generally reserved for volumes greater than 2 L and amniotic fluid index greater than 24–25 cm. (At…