Pitfalls
- Failure to diagnose pregnancy. Every woman of reproductive age with lower abdominal pain or PV bleeding should have a pregnancy test.
- Failure to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy. Remember:Ectopic pregnancies can present with a range of presentations of women of reproductive age, including: Collapse/syncope/faint, Diarrhoea/ GI upset, UTI symptoms. Do a pregnancy test!
- Failure to recognise cervical shock. Cervical shock presents bradycardia and hypotension – remove what is causing the obstruction at the cervical OS.
- Failure to appreciate the extent of haemorrhage and consider concealed haemorrhage.
- Failure to prevent isoimmunisation.
- Failure to involve experienced specialists early.