Antepartum Hemorrhage
,Dfn
• Bleeding from the vagina of the pregnant
mother after the fetus is viable (~28 wks
and above) and before the fetus is born
(before the 3rd stage of labour).
,Causes and differential diagnosis
• Placenta praevia
• Abruptio placentae
• Vasa praevia
• Trauma
• Coagulopathy
• Rupture of uterus
• Cervical/vaginal lesions (cancer, trauma etc)
, Signs and symptoms
• Patients usually present with the following
symptoms:
– Vaginal bleeding - 80%
– Abdominal or back pain and uterine tenderness - 70%
– Fetal distress - 60%
– Abnormal uterine contractions (eg, hypertonic, high
frequency) - 35%
– Idiopathic premature labor - 25%
– Fetal death - 15%
,Dfn
• Bleeding from the vagina of the pregnant
mother after the fetus is viable (~28 wks
and above) and before the fetus is born
(before the 3rd stage of labour).
,Causes and differential diagnosis
• Placenta praevia
• Abruptio placentae
• Vasa praevia
• Trauma
• Coagulopathy
• Rupture of uterus
• Cervical/vaginal lesions (cancer, trauma etc)
, Signs and symptoms
• Patients usually present with the following
symptoms:
– Vaginal bleeding - 80%
– Abdominal or back pain and uterine tenderness - 70%
– Fetal distress - 60%
– Abnormal uterine contractions (eg, hypertonic, high
frequency) - 35%
– Idiopathic premature labor - 25%
– Fetal death - 15%
