VIDON, AUBREY ROSE A.

April 18, 2020

BSN 2Y2-2

AMPLIFY THE LEARNING (OB) WEEK #16

1. What is the definition of puerperal infection?

Postpartum infections, also known as childbed fever and puerperal fever, are any bacterial infections of
the female reproductive tract following childbirth or miscarriage. ... The most common infection is that
of the uterus and surrounding tissues known as puerperal sepsis, postpartum metritis, or postpartum
endometritis.

2. What anatomic features of the woman's reproductive tract make infection there potentially
serious?

Bacteria can make their way up the vagina, through the uterus, and traverse the uterine tubes which
open into the abdominal cavity. Inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity, the peritoneum,
causes abdominal pain.

3. What is the key difference between postpartum blues and postpartum depression?

When it’s the Baby Blues

 Your mood swings quickly from happy to sad. One minute, you’re proud of the job that you’re
doing as a new mom. The next, you’re crying because you think you’re not up to the task.
 You don’t feel like eating or taking care of yourself because you’re exhausted.
 You feel irritable, overwhelmed, and anxious.

When it’s Postpartum Depression

 You feel hopeless, sad, worthless, or alone all the time and you cry often.
 You don’t feel like you’re doing a good job as a new mom.
 You’re not bonding with your baby.
 You can’t eat, sleep, or take care of your baby because of your overwhelming despair.
 You could have anxiety and panic attacks.

4. Which nursing interventions are appropriate for the woman with postpartum depression?

Do not leave the woman and the child alone until a skilled professional arrives.