Neonatal Complications and High-Risk Childbearing Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers neonatal complications, high-risk birth characteristics, respiratory disorders, metabolic imbalances, and congenital malformations based on the provided lecture transcript.

Preterm birth

A birth characterized by little subcutaneous fat, fine and feathery hair (lanugo), poor resistance to infection, smooth and fine soles of the feet, relaxed and extended limbs, and weak sucking and swallowing reflexes.

Post-term birth

A birth occurring at more than $42$ wk gestation.

Small for gestational age (SGA)

A condition where birth weight is below the $10^{th}$ percentile expected for the gestational age; characteristics include reduced subcutaneous fat, loose and dry skin, and chronic intrauterine hypoxia.

Large for gestational age (LGA)

A condition where the birth weight is $4,000\,g$ or more, often associated with congenital anomalies, Apgar scores less than $7$, and possible hypoglycemia.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)

A deficiency of surfactant in the immature lung characterized by labored breathing (retractions, tachypnea, expiratory grunting), cyanosis, and blood gas levels of $PO_2 < 50\,mm\,Hg$ and $pCO_2 > 60\,mm\,Hg$.

Perinatal asphyxia

Periods of hypoxia during the birthing process that can be caused by an obstructed airway, atelectasis, or a nonresponsive respiratory center in the brain.

Choanal atresia

An obstruction of the posterior nares that causes the infant to mouth breathe and may lead to cyanosis during feedings.

Congenital laryngeal stridor

A condition characterized by crowing inspiration caused by a flabby epiglottis.

Cold stress

A condition where oxygen consumption and energy are diverted from brain and cardiac functions to thermogenesis, potentially leading to respiratory and metabolic acidosis.

Hypoglycemia (Neonatal)

A blood glucose level less than $30-35\,mg/dL$ ($1.7-1.9\,mmol/L$) in term infants, where the normal range is $40-80\,mg/dL$ ($2.2-4.4\,mmol/L$).

Neonatal sepsis

A systemic infection characterized by temperature instability, poor sucking, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and lack of weight gain.

Physiologic jaundice (icterus)

Yellow coloration of skin and eyes that appears after the first $24\,h$ of life, caused by the infant's inability to clear waste from RBC destruction.

Pathologic jaundice

Hemolytic anemia appearing during the first $24\,h$ of life, lasting longer than $7$ d in full-term infants or $10$ d in preterm infants, associated with higher than acceptable bilirubin levels.

Early onset breast milk jaundice

Jaundice occurring at $2-4$ days of life caused by decreased milk intake because the milk supply is not yet established.

Late onset breast milk jaundice

Jaundice occurring at $5-7$ days of life, potentially caused by factors in breast milk preventing bilirubin conjugation or less frequent stooling.

Rh incompatibility

A condition where an Rh (—) mother produces antibodies against Rh (+) fetal blood cells, causing excessive hemolysis.

Rho(D) immune globulin intramuscular (IGIM)

An Rh immunoglobulin given to Rh (—) mothers postdelivery or postabortion to prevent sensitization; it is not useful in women who already have Rh antibodies.

Coombs test

A test performed on a cord blood sample to detect antibodies attached to circulating erythrocytes.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

A serious condition of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by feeding intolerance, bile-colored vomiting, abdominal distension, blood in the stool, and air in the bowel wall on radiographs.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)

A group of symptoms including high-pitched cry, hyperreflexivity, diaphoresis, and uncoordinated sucking resulting from drug withdrawal (narcotics, barbiturates, or cocaine).

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)

A cause of blindness in premature infants where high concentrations of oxygen cause retinal vessels to constrict; risk increases with oxygen concentrations greater than $40\%$ used for longer than $48-72\,h$.

Strabismus

A condition where the eyes do not function as a unit due to an imbalance of extraocular muscles, causing visible deviation, diplopia, or squinting.

Epispadias

A congenital malformation where the urethral opening is on the dorsal surface of the penis.

Hypospadias

A congenital malformation where the male urethral opening is on the ventral surface of the penis or the female urethral opening is in the vagina.

Bladder exstrophy

A condition where the posterior and lateral surfaces of the bladder are exposed, often seen in conjunction with epispadias.