THREATENED ABORTION

Course overview

A THREATENED ABORTION IS VAGINAL BLEEDING DURING PREGNANCY THAT DOES NOT MEET DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR SPONTANEOUS ABORTION. IN A THREATENED ABORTION, THE CERVICAL OS REMAINS CLOSED. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) DEFINES A THREATENED ABORTION AS PREGNANCY-RELATED BLOODY VAGINAL DISCHARGE OR FRANK BLEEDING DURING THE FIRST HALF OF PREGNANCY WITHOUT CERVICAL DILATATION. A THREATENED ABORTION CAN PRESENT DURING EARLY PREGNANCY WITH LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN, AND/OR VAGINAL BLEEDING. NEARLY 25 PERCENT OF PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE SOME DEGREE OF VAGINAL BLEEDING DURING THE FIRST TWO TRIMESTERS AND ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THESE PROGRESS TO AN ACTUAL ABORTION. THE BLEEDING IN A THREATENED ABORTION IS MILD TO MODERATE. THE ABDOMINAL PAIN MAY PRESENT AS INTERMITTENT CRAMPS, SUPRAPUBIC PAIN, PELVIC PRESSURE, OR LOWER BACK PAIN. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.