Potential Complications During Pregnancy: Videos & Practice Problems

Which concise definition best distinguishes eclampsia from preeclampsia?

A pregnant person at 28 weeks presents with fasting hyperglycemia confirmed on oral glucose tolerance testing but normal blood pressure and no proteinuria. Which diagnosis is most consistent with these findings?

Which sequence best describes how pregnancy-related insulin resistance can lead to fetal overgrowth (macrosomia)?

Which molecular mechanisms most plausibly link chronic maternal hyperglycemia to maternal microvascular tissue damage during pregnancy?

Which of the following is a well-established long-term outcome for a child born to a mother with poorly controlled gestational diabetes?

A cohort study reports that children of mothers with gestational diabetes have a relative risk (RR) of 1.8 for developing obesity by age 12 compared with controls. Which interpretation is most appropriate?

Which triad of findings is most characteristic of classic preeclampsia?

A 30-year-old at 34 weeks has two blood pressure readings of 148/94 mmHg and 150/96 mmHg, and a urine dipstick showing +2 protein. Based on standard diagnostic thresholds, which is the most appropriate interpretation?

Which pathophysiologic change most directly increases the maternal risk of seizures in the progression from preeclampsia to eclampsia?

A patient with severe preeclampsia develops sudden hemiparesis and confusion. Which of the following is the most urgent diagnostic concern and initial management priority?

Which integrated explanation best accounts for hypertension, edema, and proteinuria in preeclampsia?

Which placental effect is most directly implicated in initiating the vascular changes seen in preeclampsia?

Design a brief, evidence-based intervention bundle for a sedentary overweight pregnant person in early second trimester to reduce risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders. Which combination is most appropriate?

A patient with risk factors for GDM asks how to alter carbohydrate intake to blunt postprandial glucose spikes. Which practical strategy is most evidence-aligned?

A 36-week pregnant patient presents with sudden-onset generalized tonic-clonic seizure and prior history of elevated BP and proteinuria. Which immediate step best differentiates management priorities for eclampsia versus isolated seizure etiologies and initiates appropriate care?

Estimation problem: Using a simplified risk model, baseline risk of fetal macrosomia is 10%. For every 20 mg/dL increase in mean maternal fasting glucose above 90 mg/dL, macrosomia risk increases by 6 percentage points. If a pregnant patient has a mean fasting glucose of 142 mg/dL during the third trimester, what is the estimated absolute risk of macrosomia? Show full calculation.

A patient diagnosed with mild gestational diabetes at 26 weeks is controlled with diet for 4 weeks but has rising fasting glucose values approaching diagnostic thresholds. What is the next reasonable monitoring or management step?

When evaluating a community program aimed at reducing GDM incidence by offering free prenatal exercise classes and nutrition counseling, which evaluation metric best demonstrates population-level effectiveness?

A health department must prioritize one intervention to lower rates of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in a low-resource setting. Which integrated approach is most defensible based on likely effectiveness and resource constraints?

Which pregnancy-related disorder typically resolves after delivery and is primarily characterized by maternal insulin resistance and hyperglycemia that begins during pregnancy?

For antenatal planning, which monitoring strategy most directly reduces perinatal morbidity associated with suspected fetal macrosomia from gestational diabetes?

Laboratory calculation: A pregnant patient has a spot urine protein of 120 mg/dL and urine creatinine of 300 mg/dL. Calculate the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio and determine whether it meets the commonly used diagnostic cutoff for proteinuria in preeclampsia (ratio ≥0.3 mg/mg). Show work.

Which maternal outcome is most strongly associated with progression from preeclampsia to severe preeclampsia or eclampsia if untreated?

You are asked to develop a short counseling script integrating nutrition and exercise rationale for pregnant patients at risk of GDM. Which message most effectively synthesizes evidence-based recommendations and their expected physiologic benefits?

A patient at 38 weeks with well-controlled GDM presents with decreased fetal movements and a nonreassuring fetal heart tracing. Which management step most directly recognizes both maternal disease and the fact that delivery is definitive treatment for pregnancy complications?

Urine protein calculation scenario: A patient's 24-hour urine collection measures 350 mg protein over 24 hours. Does this meet the classic diagnostic threshold for proteinuria in preeclampsia (≥300 mg/24 h), and what is the interpretation?

Which monitoring parameter is most important for early detection of progression from preeclampsia to severe disease requiring urgent delivery?

A clinic must create a one-page take-home for patients summarizing lifestyle steps to lower pregnancy complication risks. Which synthesized statement best balances safety, evidence, and clarity?

Which clinical strategy directly addresses pregnancy-induced insulin resistance to normalize maternal glycemia when diet and exercise alone are insufficient?