MDWF 2070

MDWF 2070 - Obstetrical Pharmacology - 3 cr.

DESCRIPTION:

As midwives, we are responsible for providing high quality, comprehensive care to clients during their pregnancy and the birth of their baby. The expertise of midwives includes supporting and honoring uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. It must also include the knowledge, skill and ability to take action when intervention is necessary to improve health outcomes for client and baby. This expertise requires that midwives be knowledgeable about both life-saving medications and those used to ease common discomforts of pregnancy. This course will focus on the medications, both prescribed and available over the counter, that midwives will encounter when providing care for clients and newborns during the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods. The course will provide an introduction to the ways in which pregnancy impacts the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs and the actions of these drugs in the body. Protocols for both common and life-saving medications will be developed to assist you in caring for your clients.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Basic pharmacological concepts.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Pharmacovigilance.
Pharmacokinetics in pregnancy.
Teratology.
Use of over-the-counter medications in pregnancy.
Informed consent and shared decision-making.
Drug protocols.
Administration of Rh0D immunoglobulin to prevent Rh alloimmunization.
Use of Tdap vaccine to prevent newborn pertussis.
Rubella and pregnancy.
Pharmacological abortive agents.
Tocolytic therapy for the prevention of preterm labor.
Antibiotic therapy for common infections.
Antibiotics prophylaxis for Group B Strep.
Epinephrine as part of the management of anaphylactic shock.
Antihemorrhagics for the management of postpartum hemorrhage.
Intravenous fluids for the prevention and management of hemorrhagic shock.
Use of local anesthesia during repair of lacerations.
Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Vitamin K for the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
Antidepressants for the management of depression.
Local resources.