Midwifery Emergencies at a Glance

Denise Campbell, Principal Midwifery Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire, UK.

Susan Carr, Principal Midwifery Lecturer, University of Hertfordshire, UK.

Preface viii


Abbreviations ix


About the companion website x


Part 1 Professional issues 1


Section 1 Professionalism


1 Professional standards 2


2 Communications during an emergency 4


Part 2 Emergency skills 7


Section 2 Resuscitation


3 Maternal resuscitation 8


4 Neonatal resuscitation 10


Section 3 Haemorrhage


5 Antepartum haemorrhage 14


6 Primary postpartum haemorrhage 16


7 Secondary postpartum haemorrhage 18


Section 4 Malpresentations and multiple pregnancy


8 Occipito posterior positions 20


9 Face and brow presentations 22


10 Breech presentations 24


11 Cord presentation and prolapse 26


12 Twins 28


Section 5 Dystocia


13 Shoulder dystocia 30


14 Uterine dystocia - failure to progress 32


Section 6 Placental separation problems


15 Manual removal of the placenta 34


16 Adhered or partially adhered placenta 36


Section 7 Uterine emergencies


17 Uterine inversion 38


18 Uterine rupture and scar dehiscence 40


Part 3 Medical and psychological emergencies 43


Section 8 Psychological disorders


19 Post-traumatic stress disorder 44


20 Postnatal depression (mood disorder) 46


21 Puerperal (postpartum) psychosis 48


Section 9 Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy


22 Pre-eclampsia 50


23 Eclampsia 52


Section 10 Embolic and coagulation disorders


24 Venous thromboembolism 54


25 Amniotic fluid embolism 56


26 Disseminated intravascular coagulation 58


Section 11 Preterm labour


27 Prelabour rupture of membranes 60


28 Preterm labour and delivery 62


Part 4 Associated skills 65


Section 12 Instrumental and Operative deliveries


29 Instrumental vaginal delivery 66


30 Preparation and transfer to the operating theatre 68


31 Role of the scrub midwife or nurse 70


32 Receiving the baby in the operating theatre 72


33 Immediate care following surgery 74


Section 13 Fetal surveillance


34 Electronic fetal monitoring - actions following a suspicious or pathological trace 76


35 Fetal scalp electrode 78


36 Fetal blood sampling 80


Section 14 Maternal monitoring


37 Recognising the deteriorating woman 82


38 Examination per vaginam 84


39 Speculum examination 86


40 Urinary catheterisation 88


Section 15 Venous skills


41 Venepuncture 90


42 Intravenous cannulation 92


43 Blood transfusion therapy 94


Section 16 Augmentation


44 Artificial rupture of membranes 96


45 Oxytocic augmentation 98


Section 17 Perineal Trauma


46 Third- and fourth-degree tears 100


47 Perineal suturing 102


Section 18 Infection awareness


48 Maternal sepsis 104


49 Source isolation nursing 106


50 Group B streptococcus 108


51 Infection control 110


Part 5 Self-assessment 113


Section 19 Revision and self-assessment


Multiple choice questions 114


Multiple choice answers 121


References 124


Index 131