Autonomic hyperreflexia: a mortal danger for spinal cord-damaged women in labor. 1985

J A McGregor, and J Meeuwsen

Reproductive care of women with spinal cord damage demands knowledge of such women's reproductive potential and the specific complications to which these women are prone during pregnancy and childbirth, especially autonomic hyperreflexia. Fertility in cord-damaged women of reproductive age is generally undiminished as are libido, ability to have intercourse, and ability to bear children. Frequent complications of cord-damaged pregnant women include urinary tract infection, anemia, pressure sores, sepsis, unattended birth, and autonomic hyperreflexia. Autonomic hyperreflexia or autonomic dysreflexia occurs during labor in up to two thirds of women with cord lesions above T-6. Autonomic hyperreflexia results from noxious stimuli including distention of the bladder, cervix, or rectum, which evokes mass triggering of sympathetic and parasympathetic afferents that are uninhibited by supraspinal centers below the cord lesion. Autonomic hyperreflexia manifests itself with sudden onset of marked hypertension and headache during uterine contractions, as well as bradycardia or tachycardia, various cardiac dysrhythmias, and marked diaphoresis with piloerection and flushing above the level of the cord lesion. We describe the second reported occurrence of intraventricular hemorrhage due to autonomic hyperreflexia during labor and detail recommendations for anticipating and mitigating this potentially lethal complication of parturition in cord-damaged women. Pregnancy and parturition are best carried out with informed cooperation of the patient and of obstetric, cord rehabilitation, anesthetic, and nursing personnel.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007744 Obstetric Labor Complications Medical problems associated with OBSTETRIC LABOR, such as BREECH PRESENTATION; PREMATURE OBSTETRIC LABOR; HEMORRHAGE; or others. These complications can affect the well-being of the mother, the FETUS, or both. Complications, Labor,Labor Complications,Complication, Labor,Complication, Obstetric Labor,Complications, Obstetric Labor,Labor Complication,Labor Complication, Obstetric,Labor Complications, Obstetric,Obstetric Labor Complication
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011782 Quadriplegia Severe or complete loss of motor function in all four limbs which may result from BRAIN DISEASES; SPINAL CORD DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or rarely MUSCULAR DISEASES. The locked-in syndrome is characterized by quadriplegia in combination with cranial muscle paralysis. Consciousness is spared and the only retained voluntary motor activity may be limited eye movements. This condition is usually caused by a lesion in the upper BRAIN STEM which injures the descending cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar tracts. Quadriparesis,Spastic Quadriplegia,Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegia,Flaccid Tetraplegia,Paralysis, Spinal, Quadriplegic,Spastic Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegias,Flaccid Tetraplegias,Quadripareses,Quadriplegia, Flaccid,Quadriplegia, Spastic,Quadriplegias,Quadriplegias, Flaccid,Quadriplegias, Spastic,Spastic Quadriplegias,Spastic Tetraplegias,Tetraplegia, Flaccid,Tetraplegia, Spastic,Tetraplegias,Tetraplegias, Flaccid,Tetraplegias, Spastic
D012021 Reflex, Abnormal An abnormal response to a stimulus applied to the sensory components of the nervous system. This may take the form of increased, decreased, or absent reflexes. Hyperreflexia,Hyporeflexia,Abnormal Deep Tendon Reflex,Abnormal Reflex,Abnormal Reflexes,Bulbocavernosus Reflex, Decreased,Bulbocavernousus Reflex Absent,Hoffman's Reflex,Palmo-Mental Reflex,Reflex, Absent,Reflex, Acoustic, Abnormal,Reflex, Anal, Absent,Reflex, Anal, Decreased,Reflex, Ankle, Abnormal,Reflex, Ankle, Absent,Reflex, Ankle, Decreased,Reflex, Biceps, Abnormal,Reflex, Biceps, Absent,Reflex, Biceps, Decreased,Reflex, Corneal, Absent,Reflex, Corneal, Decreased,Reflex, Decreased,Reflex, Deep Tendon, Abnormal,Reflex, Deep Tendon, Absent,Reflex, Gag, Absent,Reflex, Gag, Decreased,Reflex, Knee, Abnormal,Reflex, Knee, Decreased,Reflex, Moro, Asymmetric,Reflex, Pendular,Reflex, Triceps, Abnormal,Reflex, Triceps, Absent,Reflex, Triceps, Decreased,Reflexes, Abnormal,Absent Reflex,Decreased Bulbocavernosus Reflex,Decreased Reflex,Palmo Mental Reflex,Pendular Reflex,Reflex Absent, Bulbocavernousus,Reflex, Decreased Bulbocavernosus,Reflex, Hoffman's,Reflex, Palmo-Mental
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001342 Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Diseases of the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. Autonomic Disorders,Central Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System,Dysautonomia,Nervous System Diseases, Autonomic,Nervous System Diseases, Parasympathetic,Nervous System Diseases, Sympathetic,Non-Familial Dysautonomia,Parasympathetic Nervous System Diseases,Peripheral Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Sympathetic Nervous System Diseases,ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) Diseases,ANS Diseases,Autonomic Central Nervous System Diseases,Autonomic Diseases,Autonomic Nervous System Disorders,Autonomic Peripheral Nervous System Diseases,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunction,ANS Disease,Autonomic Disease,Autonomic Disorder,Autonomic Dysfunction, Segmental,Autonomic Dysfunctions, Segmental,Disorder, Autonomic,Dysautonomia, Non-Familial,Dysautonomias,Non Familial Dysautonomia,Non-Familial Dysautonomias,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunctions
D013119 Spinal Cord Injuries Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.). Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy

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