Anemia grave no puerpério / Severe anemia in the puerperium

A anemia no puerpério é bastante prevalente, estando principalmente relacionada à ocorrência de anemia não corrigida durante a gestação e às hemorragias agudas durante o parto. Essas situações aumentam significativamente a probabilidade de anemia grave no período pós-parto, gerando manifestações orgânicas e psicológicas que trazem prejuízo ao binômio materno-fetal. A forma grave da doença é caracterizada laboratorialmente por hemoglobina < 7 g/dL e suas manifestações clínicas variam na dependência de diversos fatores. O objetivo do tratamento é corrigir a hipóxia tecidual, revertendo as alterações adaptativas relacionadas à carência de oxigênio. Enquanto o tratamento agressivo de perdas volêmicas agudas diminui a morbimortalidade por esses eventos, políticas restritivas de transfusão sanguínea em pacientes hemodinamicamente estáveis mostram-se benéficas. Se não houver indicação de transfusão, a reposição de ferro atuará na correção das principais etiologias, pelas vias endovenosa ou oral, na dependência de disponibilidade, custo e tolerância individual aos medicamentos disponíveis.(AU)

Anemia is quite prevalent in puerperium; in this population, the disease is mainly related to the occurrence of uncorrected anemia during pregnancy and to acute bleeding during childbirth. These situations significantly increase the likelihood of severe anemia in the postpartum period, generating organic and psychological manifestations that cause damage to the maternal-fetal binomial. The severe form of anemia is characterized by hemoglobin < 7 g/dL and its clinical manifestations vary depending on several factors. The goal of treatment is to correct tissue hypoxia, reversing adaptive changes related to oxygen deficiency. While the aggressive treatment of acute blood losses decreases the morbidity and mortality of these events, restrictive blood transfusion policies in hemodynamically stable patients are beneficial. If there is no indication for transfusion, iron replacement will act to correct the main etiologies, through the intravenous or oral routes, depending on availability, cost and individual tolerance to the available drugs.(AU)

Does route matter? Impact of route of oxytocin administration on postpartum bleeding: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the impact of intravenous (IV) infusion versus intramuscular (IM) oxytocin on postpartum blood loss and rates of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) when administered during the third stage of labor. While oxytocin is recommended for prevention of PPH, few double-blind studies have compared outcomes by routes of administration. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted at a hospital in Argentina. Participants were assigned to receive 10 IU oxytocin via IV infusion or IM injection and a matching saline ampoule for the other route after vaginal birth. Blood loss was measured using a calibrated receptacle for a 1-hour minimum. Shock index (SI) was also calculated, based on vital signs measurements, and additional interventions were recorded. Primary outcomes included: the frequency of blood loss ≥500ml and mean blood loss. RESULTS: 239 (IV infusion) and 241 (IM) women were enrolled with comparable baseline characteristics. Mean blood loss was 43ml less in the IV infusion group (p = 0.161). Rates of blood loss ≥500ml were similar (IV infusion = 21%; IM = 24%, p = 0.362). Women in the IV infusion group received significantly fewer additional uterotonics (5%), than women in the IM group (12%, p = 0.007). Women with PPH in the IM group experienced a larger increase in SI after delivery, which may have influenced recourse to additional interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The route of oxytocin administration for PPH prevention did not significantly impact measured blood loss after vaginal birth. However, differences were observed in recourse to additional uterotonics, favoring IV infusion over IM. In settings where IV lines are routinely placed, oxytocin infusion may be preferable to IM injection.

Shock index and heart rate standard reference values in the immediate postpartum period: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine Shock Index (SI) reference values in the first two hours of the postpartum period after objectively measuring postpartum bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A complementary analysis using data from a prospective cohort study at Women's Hospital of the University of Campinas, Brazil, between 1 February 2015 and 31 March 2016. It included women giving birth vaginally unless they had one of these conditions: gestational age below 34 weeks, hypertension, hypo- or hyperthyroidism without treatment, any cardiac disease, infections with fever or sepsis, history of coagulopathy or delivery by C-section. Blood loss was measured by adding the blood volume collected in the drape placed under the women's buttocks and the weight of gauzes and compresses used (excluding the dry weight). Vital signs were measured every 5-15 min after delivery. Exploratory data analysis was performed to assess the mean, standard deviation, median, and percentiles (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th). To identify variation among the periods after delivery, the mean SI and heart rate (HR) values observed for the following intervals were used in the analysis: 0-20 min, 21-40 min, 41-60 min, 61-90 min and 91-120 min. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-six women were included. The mean age ± SD was 24.9 ± 6.1 years and the mean gestational age at birth was 39.2 ± 1.8 weeks. At the puerperal period, the mean SI values ranged from 0.68 ± 0.14 to 0.74 ± 0.15. The percentile distribution ranged from 0.46 (5th percentile) to 1.05 (95th percentile). The mean HR values ranged from 80.8 ± 12.7 bpm to 92.3 ± 14.4 bpm. The percentile distribution ranged from 62.0 bpm (5th percentile) to 117 bpm (95th percentile). CONCLUSION: Reference ranges were established for SI and HR values which showed small variations throughout the postpartum period.

Postpartum hemorrhage: new insights for definition and diagnosis.

The current definition of is inadequate for early recognition of this important cause of maternal death that is responsible for >80,000 deaths worldwide in 2015. A stronger definition of postpartum hemorrhage should include both blood loss and clinical signs of cardiovascular changes after delivery, which would help providers to identify postpartum hemorrhage more promptly and accurately. Along with the amount of blood loss, clinical signs, and specifically the shock index (heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure) appear to aid in more accurate diagnosis of postpartum hemorrhage.

Development and Assessment of Pictorial Guide for Improved Accuracy of Visual Blood Loss Estimation in Cesarean Delivery.

INTRODUCTION: Estimated blood loss for surgical procedures performed via visual estimation is known to be an inaccurate method. Blood loss estimation is further complicated during cesarean delivery (CD) by a large volume loss for a short period as well as the presence of amniotic fluid. We hypothesized that a pictorial guide depicting premeasured blood volumes and materials commonly used in a CD would improve clinician accuracy in estimated blood loss. METHODS: A simulated CD scene was used to assess the ability of clinicians to estimate the amount of blood lost by a CD patient. Accuracy of the estimates was assessed before and after they had access to the pictorial guide created for the study. RESULTS: Before the intervention, 52% of participants estimated more than 25% above or below actual blood loss volume. With use of the guide, clinicians became more accurate at blood loss estimation. After the intervention, the number of participants estimating within 5% of the actual volume increased from 7% before to 24% (P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: An institution-specific pictorial guide is effective at improving the accuracy of visual blood loss estimation in a simulation and may help improve clinical care in CD.

[Risk factors of evolution of postpartum hemorrhage towards severe postpartum hemorrhage: A case-control study]. / Factores de riesgo de la evolución de la hemorragia posparto a hemorragia posparto severa: estudio de casos y controles.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and risk factors for evolution of postpartum haemorrhage towards severe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Epidemiologic, observational, analytical, case-control study was done from total data of deliveries in Complexo Hospitalario de Ourénse between January 1st 2004 and June 30th 2014. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the differences between cases and controls. The statistical analyses were made with the informatic programs Spss 15.0 y Epidat 3.0. We considered statistical significance for p < 0.05. RESULTS: The initial size of the sample was 17,116 deliveries from which we selected 150 patients with the diagnosis of postpartum haemorrhage. The incidence for HPSe form all deliveries was 3.3% reaching 36% of the total of postpartum haemorrhages. 79.63% of HPSe showed symptoms withing the first 24h postpartum, but we found that 20.37% debuted as secondary postpartum haemorrhages. BMI ≥ 35, hypertensive gestational manifestations, labor's second phase ≥ 120 minutes and weight at birth > 4000 g presented statistical significance as risk factor for evolution to severe postpartum haemhorrage. The relative risk for evolution towards HPSe was 2.81 for instrumental delivery and 3.55 for cesarean section. The most prevalent etiology was uterine atony. CONCLUSION: The incidence of HPSe in our hospital is low, as well as secondary maternal mortality. The major risk factor for the appearance of the clinical symptoms is cesarean section, followed, in less proportion by instrumental delivery. It is possible for the HPSe to make its appearance delayed after delivery, usually secondary to infrequent and non well-known clinical presentations.

Practices related to postpartum uterine involution in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.

BACKGROUND: Guatemala has the third highest level of maternal mortality in Latin America. Postpartum haemorrhage is the main cause of maternal mortality. In rural Guatemala, most women rely on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) during labour, delivery, and the postpartum period. Little is known about current postpartum practices that may contribute to uterine involution provided by Mam- and Spanish-speaking TBAs in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. METHODS: a qualitative study was conducted with 39 women who participated in five focus groups in the San Marcos Department of Guatemala. Questions regarding postpartum practices were discussed during four focus groups of TBAs and one group of auxiliary nurses. RESULTS: three postpartum practices believed to aid postpartum uterine involution were identified: use of the chuj (Mam) (Spanish, temazcal), a traditional wood-fired sauna-bath used by Mam-speaking women; herbal baths and teas; and administration of biomedicines. CONCLUSIONS: TBAs provide the majority of care to women during childbirth and the postpartum period and have developed a set of practices to prevent and treat postpartum haemorrhage. Integration of these practices may prove an effective method to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.

Enfoque hemodinámico y metabólismo en el sangrado genital grave / Hemodynamic and metabolic views in the serious genital bleeding

La hemorragia genital grave en la mujer, casi siempre se presenta durante el estado grávido puerperal, por lo que es importante recordar los cambios hemodinámicos y metabólicos que fisiológicamente se presentan durante la gestación: hipovolemia, hemodilución, taquicardia, modificaciones en los factores de la coagulación sanguínea y en el electrocardiograma. Se expone una clasificación del sangrado genital en 4 clases, de acuerdo a la magnitud de la pérdidad sanguínea, donde las clases III y IV corresponden al estado de choque hipovolémico y ameritan cuidados intensivos. Se enfatiza en la necesidad de contar con todos los recursos materiales necesarios para el manejo de estos casos y con la participación de un equipo humano multidisciplinario. Se recuerda la necesidad de preservar también la vida y la integridad del producto de la concepción en los casos en que sea viable y todavía se encuentre in utero

Placenta previa / Placenta previae

Durante el embarazo es casi siempre conservador, se lo debe realizar siempre bajo internacion y debe buscar los siguientes objetivos. Evitar el esfuerzo fisico, sedar la fibra uterina, procurar la madurez pulmonar fetal. Con este proposito se indica dieta blanda, reposo absoluto, Indocid supositorios de 100 mg. (accion antiprostaglandinica); Alupent 1 tab 0,5 mg sub lingual cada 6 horas (B bloqueante); Diazepan, Ampicilina, Betametasona y otros complementarios examenes de laboratorio y ultrasonico