AMC CAT MCQ key terms

A medicine that relaxes the uterus to slow or stop preterm labour, buying time for steroids or transfer. Examples include nifedipine and atosiban; monitoring for maternal and fetal effects is required.

An injection of betamethasone or dexamethasone given to a mother at risk of preterm birth to mature the fetal lungs and reduce neonatal respiratory distress, intraventricular haemorrhage and mortality.

A pregnancy disorder after 20 weeks marked by new hypertension plus proteinuria or organ dysfunction such as renal, liver, neurological or haematological involvement. It can progress to seizures and requires close monitoring and timely delivery.

The occurrence of generalised seizures in a woman with pre-eclampsia, without another cause. It is an obstetric emergency needing airway support, magnesium sulfate and delivery planning.

A medicine used to prevent or treat eclamptic seizures and to provide fetal neuroprotection in very preterm birth. Toxicity can cause loss of reflexes, respiratory depression and cardiac arrest, so monitoring is essential.

A severe pregnancy complication with haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets, often with right upper quadrant pain and hypertension. It threatens mother and fetus and usually requires urgent delivery.

Excessive bleeding after childbirth, commonly defined as more than 500 mL after vaginal birth or 1000 mL after caesarean, or any bleeding causing haemodynamic compromise. Causes are grouped as tone, trauma, tissue and thrombin.

Failure of the uterus to contract firmly after delivery, causing heavy bleeding from the placental site. It is the commonest cause of postpartum haemorrhage and is managed with massage and uterotonic drugs.

A uterotonic drug that causes sustained uterine contraction to treat or prevent postpartum haemorrhage. It is avoided in hypertension because it raises blood pressure and can cause nausea and vomiting.

Failure of the placenta to deliver completely after the baby, leaving fragments or the whole organ inside the uterus. It causes bleeding and infection and often needs manual removal or surgical evacuation.

Implantation of a pregnancy outside the uterine cavity, most often in a fallopian tube. It can rupture and cause life-threatening internal bleeding; presentation includes pain, amenorrhoea and sometimes shoulder-tip pain.

A folate antagonist used in selected stable, early ectopic pregnancies to stop trophoblast growth, and in some gynaecological and rheumatological conditions. It is teratogenic and requires careful patient selection and follow-up.

Human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced by trophoblast tissue. Blood levels support diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic disease; serial trends are more informative than single values.

An abnormal conception with overgrowth of trophoblast tissue, either complete or partial, causing very high beta-hCG, bleeding and a uterus larger than expected. It needs evacuation and follow-up for persistent trophoblastic disease.

Twisting of the ovary and its blood supply on the pedicle, causing sudden severe unilateral pelvic pain, nausea and tenderness. It is a surgical emergency because delay leads to ovarian loss.

Infection of the upper female genital tract, often from sexually transmitted organisms, causing pelvic pain, discharge and fever. It can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pain, so early antibiotics are important.

Presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, causing cyclical pelvic pain, painful periods, deep dyspareunia and sometimes subfertility. Diagnosis is clinical and may be confirmed surgically.

Painful menstruation, either primary cramps without pelvic disease or secondary pain from conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory drugs and hormonal suppression.

A benign smooth-muscle tumour of the uterus, also called a leiomyoma. It may cause heavy bleeding, pressure symptoms or subfertility, and treatment ranges from observation to surgery.

Abnormally heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding that interferes with daily life or causes anaemia. Causes include fibroids, hormonal imbalance and clotting disorders; assessment looks for structural and non-structural causes.

Rupture of the fetal membranes more than 18 to 24 hours before labour begins. It raises the risk of maternal and neonatal infection, so monitoring for fever and fetal wellbeing is needed and antibiotics may be given.

Infection of the membranes and amniotic fluid, often with maternal fever, uterine tenderness, foul discharge and fetal tachycardia. It requires antibiotics and usually prompt delivery to protect mother and baby.

Failure of the shoulders to deliver after the head in vaginal birth, needing specific manoeuvres and often causing brachial plexus injury or fracture. It is an obstetric emergency associated with diabetes and macrosomia.

Excessive fetal size, often defined as birth weight above about 4 to 4.5 kg. It increases the risk of prolonged labour, shoulder dystocia and birth trauma, and is linked to maternal diabetes.

Glucose intolerance first recognised during pregnancy, usually detected by screening tests. It increases risks of macrosomia, pre-eclampsia and neonatal hypoglycaemia, and is managed with diet, monitoring and sometimes insulin.

Placement of the placenta over or very near the internal cervical os. It causes painless vaginal bleeding in later pregnancy and makes vaginal delivery unsafe, so caesarean delivery is usually planned.

Premature separation of a normally placed placenta before birth, causing painful vaginal bleeding, a tense uterus and fetal distress. It can lead to maternal shock and fetal death and needs urgent obstetric care.

A rapid assessment at one and five minutes after birth scoring appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration from 0 to 2 each. It guides resuscitation needs but does not alone diagnose asphyxia.

A structured approach to a newborn who is not breathing or is in poor condition, starting with warmth, drying, positioning and airway assessment, then ventilation and, if needed, chest compressions and drugs.

Yellowing of the skin and eyes from raised bilirubin in the first weeks of life. It is common and often benign but can be severe, causing kernicterus, so risk factors and bilirubin levels are checked.

Permanent brain damage caused by very high unconjugated bilirubin crossing into the neonatal brain. It can cause lethargy, poor feeding, abnormal tone and later hearing loss or cerebral palsy, so jaundice is monitored closely.

Treatment of neonatal jaundice using blue light that converts bilirubin in the skin into forms the baby can excrete. Eyes are protected and hydration monitored; exchange transfusion is used for severe cases.

Breathing difficulty in premature newborns caused by insufficient surfactant, leading to grunting, retractions and low oxygen. Antenatal steroids and surfactant replacement reduce severity.

A serious bacterial infection in the first month of life, with signs such as poor feeding, lethargy, temperature instability and breathing difficulty. It can progress rapidly, so early antibiotics are given after cultures.

Weakness of the upper arm from injury to the upper brachial plexus during difficult birth, typically after shoulder dystocia. The arm lies internally rotated and recovery is often partial but needs review.

A childhood vasculitis with fever lasting days, red eyes, cracked lips, rash, swollen neck glands and peeling skin. It can damage coronary arteries, so prompt immunoglobulin and aspirin are given.

A seizure in a child aged roughly six months to five years triggered by fever without brain infection. Most are brief and benign, but the child is assessed for the cause of fever and for red flags.

Telescoping of one part of bowel into another, usually near the ileocaecal junction, causing colicky pain, vomiting and redcurrant-jelly stool. Early air or contrast enema can reduce it.

Thickening of the pyloric muscle in young infants causing forceful projectile vomiting, hunger and dehydration with a palpable olive-shaped mass. It is corrected by fluid resuscitation then surgical division of the muscle.

Inflammation of the appendix causing central pain that moves to the right lower abdomen, with anorexia, nausea and tenderness. Delay risks perforation, so surgical assessment is urgent.

Inflammation of the peritoneal lining, causing severe abdominal pain, rigidity and rebound tenderness. It may follow perforation or infection and often needs urgent surgery and antibiotics.

Blockage of the intestine causing colicky abdominal pain, vomiting, distension and failure to pass stool or gas. Causes include adhesions and hernia; management involves fluids, decompression and sometimes surgery.

Inflammation of the gallbladder, usually from a blocked cystic duct, causing right upper abdominal pain, fever and tenderness. It is managed with antibiotics, analgesia and often cholecystectomy.

Infection of the bile ducts, often with fever, jaundice and right upper quadrant pain. It can cause septic shock and requires antibiotics plus urgent drainage of the obstructed duct.

Twisting of a loop of bowel around its mesentery, cutting off blood supply and causing obstruction. It presents with severe pain, vomiting and distension and needs urgent surgical correction.

Protrusion of an organ or tissue through a weakness in the body wall, such as the groin. It may strangulate, causing severe pain and ischaemia, which is a surgical emergency.

Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated response to infection. It requires early recognition, cultures, antibiotics and fluid resuscitation, and can complicate any medical or surgical condition.

Sepsis with persistent low blood pressure and inadequate tissue perfusion despite fluid resuscitation. It needs urgent antibiotics, fluids and vasopressor support in a high-dependency setting.

Infection of the lung tissue causing fever, cough, breathlessness and crackles, with chest X-ray changes. Severity scoring guides whether treatment is at home or in hospital.

Death of heart muscle from blocked coronary blood flow, causing chest pain, sweating and sometimes collapse, with raised troponin and ECG changes. Prompt reperfusion reduces damage.

An irregularly irregular fast heart rhythm from chaotic atrial activity, increasing stroke risk and causing palpitations or breathlessness. Management includes rate control and anticoagulation when indicated.

Sudden neurological deficit from interrupted blood flow or bleeding in the brain. Rapid assessment and imaging are needed because time-critical treatment can reduce disability.

A serious complication of diabetes with high glucose, ketones and metabolic acidosis, causing vomiting, dehydration and deep breathing. It needs fluids, insulin and careful potassium replacement.

A rapid fall in kidney function with rising creatinine or reduced urine output. Causes are grouped as pre-renal, renal and post-renal, and management focuses on fluids, stopping harmful drugs and relieving obstruction.

A raised blood potassium level that can cause dangerous heart rhythm disturbance and muscle weakness. It is treated urgently with cardiac protection, shifting potassium into cells and removing it from the body.