Chapter 04: Prenatal Care and Adaptations to
Pregnancy
Leifer: Introduction to Maternity and Pediatric Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The patient remarks that she has heard some foods will enhance brain development of the fetus.
The nurse replies that foods high in docosahexaenoic acid–omega 3 fatty acid (DHA) are thought
to enhance brain development. What food can the nurse recommend?
a. Fried fish
b. Olive oil
c. Red meat
d. Leafy green vegetables
ANS: C
Foods rich in DHA are red meat, flounder, halibut, and soybean and canola oil. Frying fish
negatively alters the DHA.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 61 OBJ: 8
TOP: Nutrition in Pregnancy KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection
of Disease
2. The nurse encourages adequate intake of folic acid for women of childbearing age before and
during pregnancy. What is folic acid thought to decrease the incidence of in fetal development?
a. Structural heart defects
b. Craniofacial deformities
c. Limb deformities
d. Neural tube defects
ANS: D
, Folic acid can reduce the incidence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and
anencephaly.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 65 OBJ: 8
TOP: Nutrition for Pregnancy KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk
3. A woman tells the nurse that she is quite sure she is pregnant. The nurse recognizes which as a
positive sign of pregnancy?
a. Amenorrhea
b. Uterine enlargement
c. HCG detected in the urine
d. Fetal heartbeat
ANS: D
Positive indications are caused only by the developing fetus and include fetal heart activity,
visualization by ultrasound, and fetal movements felt by the examiner.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 54 OBJ: 6 | 7
TOP: Physiological Changes During Pregnancy
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
4. At her initial prenatal visit, a woman asks, “When can I hear the baby‘s heartbeat?” At what
gestational age can the fetal heartbeat be auscultated with a specially adapted stethoscope or
fetoscope?
a. 4 weeks
b. 12 weeks
c. 18 weeks
d. 24 weeks
ANS: C
The fetal heartbeat can be heard with a fetoscope between the 18th and 20th weeks of
pregnancy.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 54 OBJ: 7
TOP: Physiological Changes During Pregnancy
Pregnancy
Leifer: Introduction to Maternity and Pediatric Nursing, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The patient remarks that she has heard some foods will enhance brain development of the fetus.
The nurse replies that foods high in docosahexaenoic acid–omega 3 fatty acid (DHA) are thought
to enhance brain development. What food can the nurse recommend?
a. Fried fish
b. Olive oil
c. Red meat
d. Leafy green vegetables
ANS: C
Foods rich in DHA are red meat, flounder, halibut, and soybean and canola oil. Frying fish
negatively alters the DHA.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Application REF: p. 61 OBJ: 8
TOP: Nutrition in Pregnancy KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Health Promotion and Maintenance: Prevention and Early Detection
of Disease
2. The nurse encourages adequate intake of folic acid for women of childbearing age before and
during pregnancy. What is folic acid thought to decrease the incidence of in fetal development?
a. Structural heart defects
b. Craniofacial deformities
c. Limb deformities
d. Neural tube defects
ANS: D
, Folic acid can reduce the incidence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and
anencephaly.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 65 OBJ: 8
TOP: Nutrition for Pregnancy KEY: Nursing Process Step: Implementation
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Reduction of Risk
3. A woman tells the nurse that she is quite sure she is pregnant. The nurse recognizes which as a
positive sign of pregnancy?
a. Amenorrhea
b. Uterine enlargement
c. HCG detected in the urine
d. Fetal heartbeat
ANS: D
Positive indications are caused only by the developing fetus and include fetal heart activity,
visualization by ultrasound, and fetal movements felt by the examiner.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 54 OBJ: 6 | 7
TOP: Physiological Changes During Pregnancy
KEY: Nursing Process Step: Data Collection
MSC: NCLEX: Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation
4. At her initial prenatal visit, a woman asks, “When can I hear the baby‘s heartbeat?” At what
gestational age can the fetal heartbeat be auscultated with a specially adapted stethoscope or
fetoscope?
a. 4 weeks
b. 12 weeks
c. 18 weeks
d. 24 weeks
ANS: C
The fetal heartbeat can be heard with a fetoscope between the 18th and 20th weeks of
pregnancy.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Knowledge REF: p. 54 OBJ: 7
TOP: Physiological Changes During Pregnancy
