Obstetrics & Gynecology Emergencies Flashcards
6 cards from real NREMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Obstetrics & Gynecology Emergencies flashcards as text
A pregnant patient at 36 weeks gestation presents with painless vaginal bleeding. The EMT's priority should be:
Answer: Transport rapidly, avoid vaginal examination, and monitor mother and fetus
Painless vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy is a sign of placenta previa (abnormally located placenta). Vaginal examination is contraindicated as it can cause catastrophic hemorrhage. Rapid transport is required.
During delivery, the baby's head is crowning but after delivery of the head, the shoulders cannot be delivered. This is known as:
Answer: Shoulder dystocia
Shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby's anterior shoulder becomes impacted behind the maternal pubic symphysis after delivery of the head, preventing further delivery. It is an obstetric emergency.
A pregnant patient at 32 weeks is experiencing seizures and has a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg. She has no prior history of seizures. This presentation is most consistent with:
Answer: Eclampsia
Eclampsia is defined as new-onset seizures in a woman with preeclampsia (hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy). It is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy requiring immediate intervention.
Upon delivery, the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck (nuchal cord). The EMT should:
Answer: Attempt to loop the cord over the baby's head; if tight, clamp and cut before body delivery
A nuchal cord should be looped over the baby's head if loose enough. If the cord is too tight to loop, it should be double-clamped and cut before delivering the body to prevent cord avulsion.
Following a normal delivery, normal findings in a newborn at 1 minute include all of the following EXCEPT:
Answer: Central cyanosis with no respiratory effort
Central cyanosis (blueness of the trunk, lips, and face) with absent respiratory effort is abnormal in a newborn at 1 minute and requires immediate resuscitative intervention.
A pregnant patient at 38 weeks calls EMS because she thinks she is in labor. On examination, the EMT observes the umbilical cord protruding from the vagina. The most important immediate intervention is:
Answer: Place the mother in a position to relieve pressure on the cord and transport emergently
Prolapsed cord is a life-threatening emergency. The priority is to relieve pressure on the cord (preventing fetal hypoxia) by positioning the mother (knee-chest or Trendelenburg) and transporting immediately. Never push the cord back or cut it.