A pregnancy in which the fetus has died but the products of conception are retained in utero for up to several weeks is referred to as?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2019

Explanation

Missed abortion is defined as fetal death in utero before 20 weeks of gestation, with the retention of the products of conception in the uterus for an extended period.
The key clinical features are a closed cervical os and the absence of significant uterine bleeding or cramping, despite the non-viability of the fetus.
The diagnosis is confirmed by ultrasound showing an embryo or fetus without cardiac activity.
Pregnancy symptoms often subside, and the uterus may be smaller than expected for the gestational age.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: In a threatened abortion, there is vaginal bleeding, but the fetus is still alive and viable, and the cervical os is closed. The pregnancy has not been lost.
Option B: An inevitable abortion is characterized by an open cervical os, indicating that the expulsion of the products of conception is unavoidable. This contradicts the 'retained' aspect of the question.
Option C: A complete abortion means that all products of conception (fetus and placenta) have been fully expelled from the uterus. This is the opposite of the scenario described in the question.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Types of Spontaneous Abortion as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must monitor for signs of complications in a missed abortion, such as infection (fever, foul-smelling discharge) and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a rare but serious clotting disorder that can occur if the products are retained for a long time.
Providing emotional support is a critical nursing role, as the diagnosis can be devastating for the patient and their family. The process of waiting for expulsion or undergoing a procedure can be emotionally taxing.
What if? If the patient were Rh-negative, the nurse's priority action would be to ensure the administration of Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) to prevent isoimmunization, which could affect future pregnancies.

How to Approach the Question

First, carefully read the question stem and identify the key defining features. Here, the key phrases are 'fetus has died' and 'products of conception are retained'.
Next, systematically evaluate each option against these key features.
Threatened abortion involves a viable fetus, so it's incorrect.
Inevitable and complete abortions involve the expulsion (or imminent expulsion) of products, which contradicts 'retained'. This rules them out.
Missed abortion is the only option where the fetus is non-viable and the products are retained in the uterus. This matches the stem perfectly.
Therefore, select the option that aligns with the definition provided in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Types of Spontaneous Abortion
Stem keywords: pregnancy, fetus has died, products of conception, retained in utero
Lead-in keywords: referred to as

Question ID

QciGXtsradTldRBLxtGqG2

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 8397-8399

E6 Gynecology Williams p. 152-181

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

Attempt this paper Attempt in the NPrep app