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Question-and-answer flashcards covering key definitions, physiological changes, diagnostic signs, fetal development milestones, fetal circulation, and placental functions for Maternal and Child Health – Physiological Changes in Pregnancy.
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What is pregnancy (gestation)?
The physiologic process in which a developing fetus grows within the maternal uterus.
What does the term "gravid" mean?
Pregnant.
What does "gravida" indicate?
The total number of pregnancies a woman has had, regardless of outcome.
Define parity.
The number of births a woman has had, before or after 20 weeks’ gestation.
Who is a primigravida?
A woman who is pregnant for the first time.
Who is a nulligravida?
A woman who has never been pregnant.
Who is a multigravida?
A woman in subsequent (two or more) pregnancies.
Define gestation.
The period of fetal development in the uterus from implantation to birth.
How many trimesters is pregnancy divided into?
Three.
Which weeks constitute the first trimester?
Week 1 through week 12.
Which weeks constitute the second trimester?
Week 13 through week 28.
Which weeks constitute the third trimester?
Week 29 through week 40.
At what gestational age does amenorrhea typically appear as a pregnancy sign?
Between the 4th and 6th week.
Breast enlargement and tenderness usually begin at what week?
Around the 6th week of gestation.
From which week is urinary frequency commonly noticed?
6th week onward.
Nausea and vomiting typically start at which gestational week?
About 6 weeks.
Uterine enlargement becomes noticeable starting how many weeks after the last menstrual period?
7–8 weeks.
When do multiparous women usually feel fetal movement (quickening)?
Between 16 and 18 weeks.
When do primigravidae usually feel fetal movement?
Between 16 and 20 weeks.
Fetal heart activity can be detected by Doppler at approximately which week?
10th week of gestation.
Earliest reliable urine pregnancy test is usually positive at what week?
4th week of gestation.
A sensitive blood (serum) pregnancy test may be positive how many days after conception?
6–8 days.
Approximate weight of the non-pregnant uterus?
50–60 g.
Approximate weight of the uterus at term?
About 1000 g.
At what week can the uterus be palpated at the level of the umbilicus?
24 weeks.
At which week does the uterine fundus reach the xiphisternum?
Around 38 weeks.
What happens to cervical length during pregnancy?
It remains about 2.5 cm long but becomes softer and swollen.
In primigravidae, cervical effacement normally begins when?
During the last two weeks of pregnancy.
Key vaginal change under estrogen during pregnancy?
The epithelium becomes thicker, more vascular, and more elastic.
Colostrum can first be expressed from the breasts at about what week?
16 weeks.
What are Montgomery’s tubercles and when do they become prominent?
Hypertrophied sebaceous glands on the areola, prominent around 8–12 weeks.
Which hormone primarily stimulates development of the breast ducts in pregnancy?
Estrogen.
Define fertilization.
The union of a sperm and an ovum to form a single cell at conception.
During which timeframe is the developing conceptus termed an embryo?
From 2 weeks after fertilization to the end of the 8th week.
The fetal heart begins to beat around which week?
6th week of gestation.
At what week does the fetus acquire a distinct human appearance?
10th week.
At which week can fetal sex usually be identified on ultrasound?
16th week.
When is the fetus first able to respond to external sound?
Around 18th–26th week (commonly noted at 26 weeks).
By which week do most mothers first feel fetal kicks?
20th week.
What substance covers the fetal skin beginning around 28 weeks?
Vernix caseosa.
What is lanugo and when does it first appear?
Fine fetal hair; begins growing by 16 weeks and thickens by 22 weeks.
Normal fetal heart rate range?
120–160 beats per minute.
Name the three temporary fetal circulatory shunts.
Ductus venosus, foramen ovale, and ductus arteriosus.
Role of the ductus venosus?
Shunts oxygenated blood from the umbilical vein past the liver into the inferior vena cava.
Role of the foramen ovale?
Allows blood to flow from the right atrium to the left atrium, bypassing the fetal lungs.
Role of the ductus arteriosus?
Diverts blood from the pulmonary artery into the aorta, bypassing the lungs.
When does the ductus arteriosus normally close after birth?
Within the first few days of life (may remain open longer in preterm infants).
Primary respiratory function of the placenta?
Transfers oxygen to the fetus and removes carbon dioxide.
Key endocrine products of the placenta?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), estrogens, and progesterone.
Name two nutrients the placenta stores for the fetus.
Glycogen (from glucose) and iron (also fat-soluble vitamins).
Which immunoglobulin crosses the placenta to provide fetal protection, and when does this peak transfer occur?
Immunoglobulin G (IgG), mainly during the third trimester.