Tabibu Healthcare

26/04/2025

Blood cultures are procedures done to detect an infection in the blood and identify the cause. Infections of the bloodstream are most commonly caused by bacteria (bacteremia) but can also be caused by yeasts or other fungi (fungemia) or by a virus (viremia). Although blood can be used to test for viruses, this article focuses on the use of blood cultures to detect and identify bacteria and fungi in the blood.
A blood infection typically originates from some other specific site within the body, spreading from that site when a person has a severe infection and/or the immune system cannot confine it to its source. For example, a urinary tract infection may spread from the bladder and/or kidneys into the blood and then be carried throughout the body, infecting other organs and causing a serious and sometimes life-threatening systemic infection. The terms and are sometimes used interchangeably to describe this condition. refers to an infection of the blood while sepsis is the body’s serious, overwhelming, and sometimes life-threatening response to infection. This condition often requires prompt and aggressive treatment, usually in an intensive care unit of a hospital.
How is the sample collected for testing?
Usually, two blood samples are collected from different veins to increase the likelihood of detecting bacteria or fungi if they are present in the blood. Multiple blood samples help to differentiate true pathogens, which will be present in more than one blood culture, from skin bacteria that may contaminate one of several blood cultures during the collection process.
Blood is obtained by inserting a needle into a vein in the arm. The phlebotomist will put the blood into two culture bottles containing broth to grow microbes. These two bottles constitute one blood culture set. A second set of blood cultures should be collected from a different site, immediately after the first venipuncture. A single blood culture may be collected from children since they often have high numbers of bacteria present in their blood when they have an infection. For infants and young children, the quantity of each blood sample will be smaller and appropriate for their body size.
Blood cultures are used to detect the presence of bacteria or fungi in the blood, to identify the type present, and to guide treatment. Testing is used to identify a blood infection (septicemia) that can lead to sepsis, a serious and life-threatening complication. Individuals with a suspected blood infection are often treated in intensive care units, so testing is often done in a hospital setting.
Although blood samples may be used to detect viruses, this article focuses on the use of blood cultures to detect and identify bacteria and fungi. Routine blood culture media cannot grow viruses and therefore cannot detect if the person tested has virus in their blood (viremia).
Other related tests that may be performed include: · Gram stain—a relatively quick test used to detect and identify the general type of bacteria present in other body sites, such as urine or sputum. A direct gram stain of blood is too insensitive to detect bacteria in the bloodstream. · Susceptibility testing—determines the drug (antimicrobial) that may be most effective in treating the infection Often, a complete blood count (CBC) is ordered along with or prior to the blood culture to determine whether the person has an increased number of white blood cells (or in some cases, a decreased number of white blood cells), indicating a potential infection. Sometimes other testing is also performed, such as a chemistry panel to evaluate the health status of a person’s organs, or a urine, sputum, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture to help identify the source of the original infection. This is especially true when a person has symptoms associated with a urinary tract infection, pneumonia, or meningitis.
When is it ordered?
A healthcare practitioner may order blood cultures when a person has signs and symptoms of sepsis, which indicates that bacteria, fungi, or their toxic by-products are causing harm in the body. A person with sepsis may have:
· Chills, fever
· Nausea
· Rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat
· Confusion
· Less frequent urination
As the infection progresses, more severe symptoms may develop, such as:
· Inflammation throughout the body
· The formation of many tiny blood clots in the smallest blood vessels
· A dangerous drop in blood pressure
· The failure of one or more organs
When a person has had a recent infection, surgical procedure, prosthetic heart valve replacement, or immunosuppressive therapy, the person is at a higher risk of a systemic infection and drawing blood cultures would be appropriate when an infection of the blood is suspected. Blood cultures are drawn more frequently in newborns and young children, who may have an infection but may not have the typical signs and symptoms of sepsis listed above.
Source: https://labtestsonline.org/tests/blood-culture
Image ; https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/.../follow-up.../

A blood culture is a laboratory test that looks for the presence of germs in the blood. Learn how a blood culture test works and when it may be used.

22/05/2024

Kyphoscoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine on two planes: the coronal plane, or side to side, and the saggital plane, or back to front. It’s a combined spinal abnormality of two other conditions: kyphosis and scoliosis.
Scoliosis causes the spine to curve abnormally on the coronal plane, meaning it twists sideways. Kyphosis causes the spine to curve abnormally on the saggital plane, meaning it twists forward or backward, similar to a hunchback. People with kyphoscoliosis have a spine that curves both to the side and forward or backward at the same time
Symptoms of kyphoscoliosis vary. Sometimes people with the condition may only have an abnormal hunch or slouch. In more severe cases, there can be negative effects on the lungs and heart. The muscles may not be able to function properly for day-to-day activities.
Many cases of this condition have no known cause. In other cases, this spinal condition is the result of:
• Prolonged bad posture. Poor posture over time may result in postural kyphoscoliosis. It can be treated with extensive physical therapy.
• Tuberculosis (TB). TB can weaken the spine.
• Osteochondrodysplasia. This is a type of skeletal dysplasia, a condition that impairs the growth of spinal bones, cartilage, and connective tissue.
• Degenerative diseases. Examples include osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (OA).
The most obvious physical symptom of kyphoscoliosis is a hunched or uneven back. This spinal condition comes with a number of other mild symptoms, including:
• hunched back
• uneven shoulder blades
• arms or legs longer on one side
• body image issues
In more severe cases, kyphoscoliosis can affect the lungs, nerves, and other organs. More severe symptoms include:
• disfigurement
• back pain
• trouble breathing
• weakness or paralysis
• stiffness
• fatigue
• decreased appetite
• neurological issues
• heart issues
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/kyphoscoliosis

12/06/2023

Rhesus factor and miscarriages
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🛑 People have blood groups A , B , AB and O. In addition to that , they also have a rhesus factor(Rh) ( a protein that you find on the red blood cells). If you have this protein, you're Rh positive, if you don't you're Rh negative
🛑 Over 85% of people are rhesus positive ( Rh +) , while the remaining are Rh-
🛑 When a woman who's Rh+ marries a man who's Rh -, pregnancy isn't a problem and children born will either be RH + or Rh - . If both parents are Rh+ or RH-, children will have same as parents. However if a woman is Rh- and marries a man who's Rh+, she has to be monitored a bit closely during each pregnancy.
🛑What happens during pregnancy when you're Rh-
💥If you are Rh-negative and you are exposed to Rh-positive blood, you can produce antibodies to Rh(D).
💥Blood cells from an Rh-positive baby can enter your bloodstream during pregnancy and cause the development of these antibodies.
💥Your blood can come into contact with Rh+ blood late in pregnancy or during delivery and can also happen if you have a miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy. ( If your baby happens to be Rh +)
💥If this is your first Rh-positive pregnancy, that baby is usually not affected as it takes time for the antibodies to develop. In your future pregnancies, these antibodies can pass through the placenta and attack Rh-positive red blood cells ​in the developing baby . This can cause the blood cells of your baby to break down or cause pregnancy loss.
💥During pregnancy you will be given Anti D injection at week 28 and 34 . You will also be given same should you bleed at any point during your pregnancy or have any procedure that might increase the risk of your blood abd your baby's blood coming into contact.
💥 Being Rh- does not cause miscarriage or pregnancy loss. You are only at risk if you have been sensitized. The risk is very small if you have the anti-D shots during pregnancy, or after an ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy loss, or induced abortion. If you don't receive these shots, your risk increases.
💥If you have been sensitized, a pregnancy with an Rh + baby can have complications and needs to be closely monitored. There is an increased risk of stillbirth due to a condition called immune hydrops fetalis that can develop in the second and third trimesters.
💥Pregnancy When Sensitized to Rh Factor
Even if you have lost a pregnancy due to Rh incompatibility or you are sensitized to Rh factor, you can have successful pregnancies in the future.
💥If your partner is Rh-positive, there is a strong chance that your baby will be too, and the pregnancy will have risks for miscarriage or hemolytic anemia of the newborn. You should take antenatal care very seriously.
💥If there are any complication with regards to anemia , your baby might need to be born earlier than normal, given transfusion in your womb or after birth.
💥Always remember to ask questions about anti D injections after birth or after any bleeding episode during pregnancy should you be Rh-.

05/06/2023

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a subset of bone marrow disorders. They are a group of diseases characterized by the production of too many of one or more types of blood cells in the bone marrow.
Bone marrow is a soft fatty tissue that is located in the center of the body's larger bones. It has a honeycomb or sponge-like structure, consisting of a highly organized meshwork that is filled with liquid. The liquid contains stem cells and a mixture of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets in various stages of development.
Normally, the body maintains a dynamic but relatively stable number of blood cells in circulation. As cells age, die, or are removed from circulation, new ones are made in the marrow to replace them. When a particular kind of blood cell is needed, some of the stem cells in the bone marrow begin to change. Those stem cells become immature "blast" forms of whatever cell type is in short supply. These blasts mature to become white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. Usually only fully mature cells are released into circulation.
With an MPN, too much production of a cell's precursors (e.g., stem cells and blasts) leads to an increase in that type of mature cell. That causes a corresponding increase or decrease in the number of other normal blood cells, which may be inhibited and crowded out of the bone marrow. This results in symptoms related to blood cell overproduction, shortages, and dysfunction throughout the body.
The common types of MPNs include:
• Chronic myeloid (myelogenous, myelocytic) leukemia (CML) - CML can be traced to abnormal chromosomes where, inside a stem cell in the bone marrow, pieces from two chromosomes break off and switch places (translocation). This results in an altered, fused gene (called BCR/ABL1) on an abnormal chromosome 22 (also known as the Philadelphia chromosome). This altered gene makes an abnormally functional protein that leads to the overproduction of white blood cells. Left untreated, CML leads to anemia, poor immunity, excessive bruising and bleeding, and a markedly enlarged spleen.
• Polycythemia vera (also known as PV, primary polycythemia (neoplastic)) - a disease in which too many red blood cell precursors are produced in the bone marrow, independent of the mechanisms that normally regulate red blood cell production. This leads to too many red blood cells circulating in the blood. When RBCs build up in the bloodstream, the blood becomes thicker and does not flow smoothly in the blood vessels, causing symptoms such as headache, dizziness, problems with vision, and even excessive clotting or heart attack
• Primary myelofibrosis (PMF, previously known as chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia) - a disease where fibrous cells gradually replace normal bone marrow tissue. The dense fiber network impairs bone marrow function and blood cell production and can lead to production of blood cells outside the bone marrow, typically in the liver or spleen (so-called extramedullary hematopoiesis or EMH). The red blood cells that do enter the bloodstream can be malformed, looking like teardrops instead of circles. There may be too few normal, mature red blood cells to carry oxygen, causing anemia.
• Essential thrombocythemia (ET) - a disease characterized by an increased number of megakaryocytes, precursors to platelets (also called thrombocytes), in the bone marrow as well as sustained and dramatic increases of platelets in the blood. Excess platelets in blood can make it hard for the blood to flow normally and therefore increases a person's risk of developing inappropriate blood clots or of having a stroke. On the other hand, the platelets may not function normally, leading to bleeding.
MPNs are generally not curable, but their slow progression can usually be controlled and their symptoms managed. For each MPN, there is a slight chance that the disease will develop into an acute leukemia. If this occurs, the course of the disease will be accelerated, the symptoms will intensify, and more aggressive treatment will be required.
CBCs and differentials are common tests and may be used to help diagnose and monitor MPNs. They are routine tests that count the number and relative proportion of each of the different types of cells in a blood sample. Along with blood smears, they also provide information about the size, shape, and relative maturity of the blood cells present in a person's blood at that moment.
Source: https://labtestsonline.org/.../myeloproliferative-neoplasms

25/05/2023

Aplastic anemia is a condition that occurs when your body stops producing enough new blood cells. The condition leaves you fatigued and more prone to infections and uncontrolled bleeding.
A rare and serious condition, aplastic anemia can develop at any age. It can occur suddenly, or it can come on slowly and worsen over time. It can be mild or severe.
Stem cells in the bone marrow produce blood cells - red cells, white cells and platelets. In aplastic anemia, stem cells are damaged. As a result, the bone marrow is either empty (aplastic) or contains few blood cells (hypoplastic).
The most common cause of aplastic anemia is from your immune system attacking the stem cells in your bone marrow. Other factors that can injure bone marrow and affect blood cell production include:
• Radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
While these cancer-fighting therapies kill cancer cells, they can also damage healthy cells, including stem cells in bone marrow. Aplastic anemia can be a temporary side effect of these treatments.
• Exposure to toxic chemicals.
• Use of certain drugs.
• Autoimmune disorders. An autoimmune disorder, in which your immune system attacks healthy cells, might involve stem cells in your bone marrow.
• A viral infection. Viral infections that affect bone marrow can play a role in the development of aplastic anemia. Viruses that have been linked to aplastic anemia include hepatitis, Epstein-Barr, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus B19 and HIV.
• Pregnancy. Your immune system might attack your bone marrow during pregnancy.
• Unknown factors. In many cases, doctors aren't able to identify the cause of aplastic anemia (idiopathic aplastic anemia).
Treatment for aplastic anemia might include medications, blood transfusions or a stem cell transplant, also known as a bone marrow transplant.
Aplastic anemia can be short-lived, or it can become chronic. It can be severe and even fatal.
There's no prevention for most cases of aplastic anemia. Avoiding exposure to insecticides, herbicides, organic solvents, paint removers and other toxic chemicals might lower your risk of the disease.
The following tests can help diagnose aplastic anemia:
• Blood tests. Normally, red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet levels stay within certain ranges. In aplastic anemia all three of these blood cell levels are low.
• Bone marrow biopsy. A doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of bone marrow from a large bone in your body, such as your hipbone. The sample is examined under a microscope to rule out other blood-related diseases. In aplastic anemia, bone marrow contains fewer blood cells than normal. Confirming a diagnosis of aplastic anemia requires a bone marrow biopsy.
Once you've received a diagnosis of aplastic anemia, you might need other tests to determine the cause.
Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/.../symptoms-causes/syc-20355015

25/05/2023

Thyroid antibody tests are used for several purposes. Often, they are used to determine what is causing hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism describes an underactive thyroid gland, while hyperthyroidism describes an overactive thyroid gland. Thyroid antibody tests may also be used for the following purposes:
· To diagnose an autoimmune disorder, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease
· To define the best course of treatment
· To determine whether patients with mild hypothyroidism are likely to get worse over time
· To evaluate the risk to the fetus in pregnant individuals with thyroid disease
· To estimate the risk of relapse after treatment for Graves’ disease
· To monitor patients previously treated for thyroid cancer
In the U.S., most cases of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are caused by autoimmune disease, such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, in which the immune system interferes with the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is so common in the U.S. that it is often assumed to be the cause of an underactive thyroid. While Graves’ disease is present in 70% of patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
Although detecting thyroid antibodies can support a diagnosis of Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, it is not always necessary to test thyroid antibodies in order to diagnose an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland.
What does the test measure?
Thyroid antibody testing detects and measures thyroid antibodies in the blood. Normally, antibodies attack foreign substances in the body, like bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins.
In patients with autoimmune disorders, antibodies mistakenly target the body’s own tissues. These antibodies that attack the patient’s own body are also known as autoantibodies or antithyroid antibodies. Thyroid antibody testing may look for several types of thyroid antibodies:
· Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb): Thyroid peroxidase is an enzyme that is crucial to the production of thyroid hormones. TPOAb may interfere with the action of this enzyme. Almost all patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have high levels of TPOAb.
· Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb): Thyroglobulin is a protein made by the thyroid gland. TgAb may be present when the thyroid has been damaged. Thyroglobulin antibodies are often measured in addition to thyroglobulin tests after a patient completes treatment for thyroid cancer.
· Thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAb): TRAb are antibodies that bind to the receptors on thyroid cells normally activated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). In Graves’ disease, an antibody called thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) binds to the TSH receptor and mimics the action of TSH. This causes constant stimulation of the thyroid gland, prompting it to release too much thyroid hormone into the bloodstream. Stimulation by TSI can also cause abnormal growth of the thyroid gland.
When should I get testing for thyroid antibodies?
It is not always necessary to test for thyroid antibodies to establish a diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid. However, doctors may find thyroid antibody testing helpful in the following situations:
· Subclinical hypothyroidism: In patients with a high TSH and a normal T4, testing for TPO antibodies may help predict whether the hypothyroidism will progress from being subclinical, in which it may not be causing significant or observable symptoms, to more severe and permanent dysfunction.
· Goiter: A goiter describes the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Some experts recommend testing for TPOAb in patients with a goiter, even if their thyroid hormone levels are normal.
· Hyperthyroidism, if the cause is not obvious: When patients have an overactive thyroid, sometimes it is clear from their physical examination and thyroid hormone tests that they have Graves’ disease. In less obvious cases, TRAb testing or imaging tests may be helpful in diagnosing or ruling out Graves’ disease.
· Monitoring after thyroid cancer treatment: Patients who are monitored with thyroglobulin testing after treatment may also have their TgAb levels tested as elevated TgAb can interfere with some thyroglobulin tests.
Although thyroglobulin antibodies may be elevated in both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease, it is not typically tested during diagnosis.
Source : https://www.testing.com/tests/thyroid-antibodies/
Image: https://www.morristownhamblen.com/thyroid-disease-

23/05/2023

Lactoferrin is protein released by a type of white blood cell called a neutrophil. When there is inflammation in the digestive tract, neutrophils are attracted to the area and release lactoferrin, increasing the level of the protein in the stool. Lactoferrin test measures the level of lactoferrin in stool as a way to detect inflammation in the intestines.
Intestinal inflammation is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and with some bacterial infections of the digestive tract, but it is not associated with many other disorders that affect bowel function and cause similar symptoms.
Lactoferrin can be used to help distinguish between inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions.
IBD is a group of chronic disorders characterized by swollen and damaged tissues in the lining of the intestinal tract. People affected by IBD typically have flare-ups of active disease that alternate with periods of remission. During a flare-up, a person may experience frequent bouts of watery and/or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and fever. Between these flare-ups, symptoms frequently subside. Many people may go through extended periods of remission between flare-ups. Lactoferrin testing can be useful in monitoring disease activity.
A lactoferrin test may be ordered when a person has symptoms that suggest that intestinal inflammation may be present and when a healthcare practitioner wants to distinguish between IBD and a non-inflammatory bowel condition.
Signs and symptoms of intestinal inflammation will vary from person to person and over time. They may include one or more of the following:
- Bloody or watery diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps or pain
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Re**al bleeding
- Weakness
Testing for lactoferrin may be performed when a healthcare practitioner wants to determine whether an endoscopy (colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy) is likely or less likely to be necessary.
Source: https://labtestsonline.org/tests/lactoferrin

18/05/2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) starts in the bone marrow (the soft inner part of certain bones, where new blood cells are made), but most often it quickly moves into the blood, as well. It can sometimes spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testicles.

Most often, AML develops from cells that would turn into white blood cells (other than lymphocytes), but sometimes AML develops in other types of blood-forming cells.

Some known risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are:
• Getting older
• Being male
• Smoking
• Being exposed to certain chemicals
• Being treated with certain chemotherapy drugs
• Being exposed to radiation
• Having certain blood disorders
• Having a genetic syndrome
• Having a family history

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can cause many different signs and symptoms. Some are more common with certain subtypes of AML.
People with AML often have several non-specific (general) symptoms. These can include:
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Loss of appetite

Symptoms caused by leukemia spread:
- Spread to the skin
If leukemia cells spread to the skin, they can cause lumps or spots that may look like common rashes.
- Spread to the gums
Certain types of AML may spread to the gums, causing swelling, pain, and bleeding.
- Spread to other organs
Less often, leukemia cells can spread to other organs. Spread to the brain and spinal cord can cause symptoms such as:
• Headaches
• Weakness
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Trouble with balance
• Facial numbness
• Blurred vision
- Enlarged lymph nodes
Rarely, AML can spread to lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune cells throughout the body), making them bigger. Affected nodes in the neck, groin, underarm areas, or above the collarbone may be felt as lumps under the skin.

Although any of the symptoms and signs above may be caused by AML, they can also be caused by other conditions.

If you have signs or symptoms of acute myelogenous leukemia, your doctor may recommend that you undergo diagnostic tests, including:
• Blood tests
• Bone marrow test
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
• Genomic testing

Source: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/acute-myeloid-leukemia/about/what-is-aml.html

17/05/2023

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is a rare condition in which one or more tumors form in your pancreas or the upper part of your small intestine (duodenum). These tumors, called gastrinomas, secrete large amounts of the hormone gastrin, which causes your stomach to produce too much acid. The excess acid then leads to peptic ulcers, as well as to diarrhea and other symptoms.
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may occur at any time in life, but people usually find out they're affected between ages 20 and 60. Medications to reduce stomach acid and heal the ulcers are the usual treatment for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
CAUSES
The exact cause of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome remains unknown. But the sequence of events that occurs in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is clear. The syndrome begins when one or more tumors (gastrinomas) form in your pancreas or duodenum or at other sites such as the lymph nodes adjacent to your pancreas.
Your pancreas sits behind and below your stomach. It produces enzymes that are essential to digesting food. The pancreas also produces several hormones including insulin, a hormone that helps to control your blood glucose.
Digestive juices from the pancreas, liver and gallbladder mix in the duodenum, the part of the small intestine next to your stomach. This is where digestion reaches its peak.
The tumors that occur with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are made up of cells that secrete large amounts of the hormone gastrin. Increased gastrin makes the stomach produce far too much acid. The excess acid then leads to peptic ulcers and sometimes to diarrhea.
Besides causing excess acid production, the tumors are often cancerous (malignant). Although the tumors tend to grow slowly, the cancer can spread elsewhere — most commonly to nearby lymph nodes or your liver.
Signs and symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may include:
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Burning, aching, gnawing or discomfort in your upper abdomen
• Acid reflux and heartburn
• Burping
• Nausea and vomiting
• Bleeding in your digestive tract
• Unintended weight loss
• Decreased appetite

Source : https://www.mayoclinic.org/.../symptoms-causes/syc-20379042

12/05/2023

HELLP syndrome
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🔴 HELLP syndrome is a rare but one of the most serious complications that can occur during pregnancy.
🔴 Some pregnant women with preeclampsia can develop HELLP syndrome. Other times this complication occurs on its own.
🔴 HELLP syndrome is very easy to misdiagnose because some of the symptoms it comes with.
🔴 This syndrome usually occurs around 27 to 37 weeks during pregnancy. Sometimes however, it can occur 24 to 48 hours after birth ( worse when it occurs after birth )
🔴 Once a mother is diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, pregnancy outcome for the mother and baby aren't good, especially if nothing is done to save both.
🔴 The exact cause of HELLP syndrome is a bit unclear
🔴 HELLP means "H"emolysis ( break down of red blood cells, "Elevated "L"iver enzymes ( your liver function test values are high) , "L"ow "P"latelets (blood cells responsible for prevention of bleeding are very low. )
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Symptoms of HELLP syndrome
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🔴 Nausea and vomiting
🔴 Sometimes you might feel as if you have a flu
🔴 Headaches
🔴 Tiredness , feeling sleepy and weak all of a sudden
🔴 Your vision becomes blare
🔴 High blood pressure
🔴 Problems with bleeding
🔴 edema which can be severe
🔴 Protein in your urine
🔴 Pain at the upper right side of your abdomen ( don't take a pain killer and stay home )
🔴 Unconsciousness
🔴 Bleeding from the nose
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How is this diagnosed?
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🔴 once you report to the hospital with these symptoms, your obgyn is supposed to run some blood works and check your urine for protein . This helps a lot with making a diagnosis.
🔴 These results will usually show that your liver isn't working as its supposed to ( liver function test abnormal) , your red blood cells are breaking down more than they are supposed to and you have a low number of platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting.
🔴 You however don't have to have all the above lab results abnormal for us to make a diagnosis.
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What are your chances when diagnosed with HELLP syndrome?
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🔴 If you are above 34 weeks , your baby will be delivered to prevent any complications. You can have a vaginal delivery if your cervix is favourable. If not, a cesarean section is an option. The decision to wait or deliver your baby is based on the discretion of your obgyn.
🔴 Before delivery, your obgyn might give you a blood transfusion if there be the need for it. If your blood cells responsible for prevention of bleeding ( platelets) are low, you will be given a transfusion of that to prevent you from bleeding - this kind of bleeding can be very difficult to stop.
🔴 Blood will need to be set aside for you, no matter the type of delivery you go through due to the high risk of bleeding that comes with this syndrome.
🔴 If you are below 34 weeks , your baby eill be given corticosteroids to enable them breathe a bit better after birth and you delivered as early as possible. This decision is made by your obgyn.
🔴 Before your baby is delivered, your blood pressure will be monitored and controlled, your baby's wellbeing will be monitored and you will be put on bedrest.
🔴 You might also be given magnesium drips to help prevent seizures
🔴 Delivery is the best way to prevent any further complications and save you and your baby.
🔴 Symptoms usually get better by 2 to 3 days postpartum
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What puts you at risk of HELLP syndrome
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🔴 You're at a higher risk if
💥 You have preeclampsia hypertension as a result of pregnancy
💥 If you have ever had HELLP syndrome
💥 If you've had many children
💥 If you are over 25 years old
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What complications come with this syndrome?
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🔴 Your baby is usually born small ( it isn't able to grow as its supposed to)
🔴 Your placenta can detach from the wall of your womb before your baby is born.
🔴 Your kidneys can fail ( usually gets better after birth)
🔴 You can have problems with blood clotting which can cause you to bleed out and eventually die
🔴 Water can collect around your lungs, making breathing difficult.
🔴 Your liver can burst or blood can collect around the tissue surrounding your liver. Death rate when the liver bursts can be as high as 40%
❗There isn't much you can do to prevent HELLP syndrome. However eating well, exercising and maintaining good weight and blood pressure do help is reducing risk.
❗Regular Antenatal care also helps make diagnosis early enough, which can help with pregnancy outcomes.
❗ Your survival and that of your baby's as well as your pregnancy outcome is very much linked to the facility you go to, how good your obgyn is, how far along you are and how severe your symptoms are.
❗ Invest in your pregnancy. Choose the best facilities and doctors for yourself. Save as much as possible before pregnancy so you can afford any kind of treatment should it me necessary. Its an investment worth making
💥 Join our Babyclub if you want us to walk your pregnancy journey with you. It will be worth your while syndrome
🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴
🔴 HELLP syndrome is a rare but one of the most serious complications that can occur during pregnancy.
🔴 Some pregnant women with preeclampsia can develop HELLP syndrome. Other times this complication occurs on its own.
🔴 HELLP syndrome is very easy to misdiagnose because some of the symptoms it comes with.
🔴 This syndrome usually occurs around 27 to 37 weeks during pregnancy. Sometimes however, it can occur 24 to 48 hours after birth ( worse when it occurs after birth )
🔴 Once a mother is diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, pregnancy outcome for the mother and baby aren't good, especially if nothing is done to save both.
🔴 The exact cause of HELLP syndrome is a bit unclear
🔴 HELLP means "H"emolysis ( break down of red blood cells, "Elevated "L"iver enzymes ( your liver function test values are high) , "L"ow "P"latelets (blood cells responsible for prevention of bleeding are very low. )
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Symptoms of HELLP syndrome
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🔴 Nausea and vomiting
🔴 Sometimes you might feel as if you have a flu
🔴 Headaches
🔴 Tiredness , feeling sleepy and weak all of a sudden
🔴 Your vision becomes blare
🔴 High blood pressure
🔴 Problems with bleeding
🔴 edema which can be severe
🔴 Protein in your urine
🔴 Pain at the upper right side of your abdomen ( don't take a pain killer and stay home )
🔴 Unconsciousness
🔴 Bleeding from the nose
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How is this diagnosed?
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🔴 once you report to the hospital with these symptoms, your obgyn is supposed to run some blood works and check your urine for protein . This helps a lot with making a diagnosis.
🔴 These results will usually show that your liver isn't working as its supposed to ( liver function test abnormal) , your red blood cells are breaking down more than they are supposed to and you have a low number of platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting.
🔴 You however don't have to have all the above lab results abnormal for us to make a diagnosis.
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What are your chances when diagnosed with HELLP syndrome?
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🔴 If you are above 34 weeks , your baby will be delivered to prevent any complications. You can have a vaginal delivery if your cervix is favourable. If not, a cesarean section is an option. The decision to wait or deliver your baby is based on the discretion of your obgyn.
🔴 Before delivery, your obgyn might give you a blood transfusion if there be the need for it. If your blood cells responsible for prevention of bleeding ( platelets) are low, you will be given a transfusion of that to prevent you from bleeding - this kind of bleeding can be very difficult to stop.
🔴 Blood will need to be set aside for you, no matter the type of delivery you go through due to the high risk of bleeding that comes with this syndrome.
🔴 If you are below 34 weeks , your baby Will be given corticosteroids to enable them breathe a bit better after birth and you delivered as early as possible. This decision is made by your obgyn.
🔴 Before your baby is delivered, your blood pressure will be monitored and controlled, your baby's wellbeing will be monitored and you will be put on bedrest.
🔴 You might also be given magnesium drips to help prevent seizures
🔴 Delivery is the best way to prevent any further complications and save you and your baby.
🔴 Symptoms usually get better by 2 to 3 days postpartum
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What puts you at risk of HELLP syndrome
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🔴 You're at a higher risk if
💥 You have preeclampsia hypertension as a result of pregnancy
💥 If you have ever had HELLP syndrome
💥 If you've had many children
💥 If you are over 25 years old
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What complications come with this syndrome?
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🔴 Your baby is usually born small ( it isn't able to grow as its supposed to)
🔴 Your placenta can detach from the wall of your womb before your baby is born.
🔴 Your kidneys can fail ( usually gets better after birth)
🔴 You can have problems with blood clotting which can cause you to bleed out and eventually die
🔴 Water can collect around your lungs, making breathing difficult.
🔴 Your liver can burst or blood can collect around the tissue surrounding your liver. Death rate when the liver bursts can be as high as 40%
❗There isn't much you can do to prevent HELLP syndrome. However eating well, exercising and maintaining good weight and blood pressure do help is reducing risk.
❗Regular Antenatal care also helps make diagnosis early enough, which can help with pregnancy outcomes.
❗ Your survival and that of your baby's as well as your pregnancy outcome is very much linked to the facility you go to, how good your obgyn is, how far along you are and how severe your symptoms are.
❗ Invest in your pregnancy. Choose the best facilities and doctors for yourself. Save as much as possible before pregnancy so you can afford any kind of treatment should it me necessary. Its an investment worth making
💥 Join our Babyclub if you want us to walk your pregnancy journey with you. It will be worth your while