Thermoregulation and Adaptations During Pregnancy and Neonatal Care

This set of flashcards covers essential concepts regarding thermoregulation, fetal adaptations, and cardiovascular changes during pregnancy, aimed at helping students review and prepare for their exam.

Normal body temperature for a non-pregnant person should be between __.

36-38 degrees Celsius.

Pregnant women’s temperature typically increases by __.

0.5 degrees Celsius.

The temperature in a fetus should be maintained between __.

37.6 and 37.8 degrees Celsius.

A balance between heat production and heat loss is essential for __.

Equilibrium.

If thermoregulation is disrupted, it can lead to __, which is a high temperature.

Hyperpyrexia.

A low body temperature condition is called __.

Hypothermia.

Fetal temperature is maintained at __ degrees above maternal temperature.

0.5 degrees.

Hypoxia in the fetus can lead to __, causing complications such as cerebral palsy.

Hypothermia.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) in infants helps with __.

Thermoregulation.

Brown adipose tissue is rich in __, allowing for increased metabolic activity.

Mitochondria.

The body uses __ and glycogen stores to maintain warmth.

Glucose.

The hypothalamus acts as the body’s __ during cold exposure.

Thermostat.

Noradrenaline binds to receptors in BAT, activating enzymes that start __.

Breaking down fat.

UCP-1 stands for __ protein, which is involved in heat production.

Uncoupling.

Thyroxine enhances the effect of noradrenaline by increasing BAT receptor __.

Sensitivity.

Babies have a higher __ to volume ratio than adults, leading to quicker heat loss.

Surface area.

Heat loss through conduction occurs when a baby loses heat to a __ surface directly underneath them.

Cold.

In convection, heat loss occurs into currents of __.

Air or fluid.

Evaporation heat loss occurs when water evaporates from the skin as __.

Wet vapor.

Fetal adaptations during pregnancy increase blood volume by __ during hypervolemia.

40-45%.

Blood viscosity is a measurement of the thickness and __ of blood.

Stickiness.

The heart increases in size by __ to accommodate additional blood volume during pregnancy.

30%.

Peripheral resistance increases when the arteries __.

Constrict.

Skin-to-skin contact helps maintain the neonate’s __.

Temperature.

During thermoregulation, noradrenaline directly activates BAT by stimulating __.

Lipolysis.

Infants risk __ due to exposure to cold, low birth weight, or delayed drying.

Hypothermia.

The role of a midwife during the immediate post-natal period includes applying a __ to the baby’s head.

Hat.

Hypoglycemia is a risk if the NST is insufficient or the BAT stores are __.

Immature.

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be __ or created.

Destroyed.

To help warm a neonate, midwives should dry them __ after birth.

Immediately.

Heat produced during metabolism is a __ of cellular respiration.

Waste product.

During pregnancy, plasma expansion of __% occurs due to haemodilution.

40%.

Higher blood volume during pregnancy supplies oxygen and __ to mother and fetus.

Nutrients.

Changes in the cardiovascular system during pregnancy allow for __ blood flow.

Increased.

The anterior pituitary gland releases __ that stimulates the thyroid.

TSH.