Maternity and Pediatric Nursing,
Second Edition: PrepU; Chapter 11:
Maternal Adaptation During
Pregnancy
Amanda is about 16 weeks pregnant and is concerned because she feels
her "abdomen" contracting. She calls the primary care provider's office and
speaks to the nurse. What is the nurse's most appropriate response to
Amanda's concern? - Ans--"What you are feeling are called Braxton Hicks
contractions. They are considered practice contractions during
pregnancy."
Braxton Hicks contractions are the painless, intermittent, "practice"
contractions of pregnancy.
A woman tells the nurse that she is going to use a home pregnancy test to
determine whether she is pregnant. Which precautions should the nurse
give her? - Ans--Arrange for prenatal care if the test is positive.
Home pregnancy testing can be accurate as soon as a period is missed; it
should not take the place of prenatal care.
During a routine antepartal visit, a pregnant woman reports a white, thick
vaginal discharge. What would the nurse do next? - Ans--Ask the woman if
she is having any itching or irritation.
Although vaginal secretions increase during pregnancy, the nurse would
need to ascertain if this discharge is the normal leukorrhea of pregnancy or
if it is a monilial vaginitis, which is common during pregnancy. The nurse
needs additional information to conclude that the woman's report is normal.
A culture may or may not be necessary. There is no evidence to suggest
that her membranes have ruptured.
,Morning sickness is associated with rising levels of human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone. - Ans--True
Known as morning sickness, nausea and vomiting begins to be noticed at
the same time levels of hCG and progesterone begin to rise so these may
contribute to its cause. Another reason may be a systemic reaction to
increased estrogen levels or decreased glucose levels, because glucose is
being used in such great quantities by the growing fetus.
During a prenatal visit, a client in her second trimester of pregnancy
verbalizes positive feelings about the pregnancy and conceptualizes the
fetus. Which is the most appropriate nursing intervention when the client
expresses such feelings? - Ans--Offer support and validation about the
client's feelings.
During the second trimester, many women will verbalize positive feelings
about the pregnancy and will conceptualize the fetus. The woman may
accept her new body image and talk about the new life within her.
Generating a discussion about the woman's feelings and offering support
and validation at prenatal visits are important nursing interventions. The
nurse should encourage the client in her first trimester to focus on herself,
not on the fetus; this is not required when the client is in her second
trimester. The client's feelings are normal for the second trimester of
pregnancy; hence, it is not necessary either to inform the primary health
care provider about the client's feelings or to tell the client that it is too early
to conceptualize the fetus.
During pregnancy a woman has many psychological adaptations that must
be made. The nurse must remember that the baby's father is also
experiencing the pregnancy and has adaptations that must be made. Some
fathers actually have symptoms of the pregnancy along with the mothers.
What is this called? - Ans--couvade syndrome
Some fathers actually experience some of the physical symptoms of
pregnancy, such as nausea and vomiting, along with their partner. This
phenomenon is called couvade syndrome.
, While providing an education to a prenatal class for first-time mothers and
fathers during the first trimester, the nurse includes information that the
father may experience which occurrence as normal during the pregnancy? -
Ans--physical symptoms similar to the mother
Couvade syndrome is the occurrence of physical symptoms by the male,
similar to the physical symptoms of the mother. Other emotional symptoms
may occur, but they are typically on a person-to-person basis.
Which assessment finding in a woman is a positive sign of pregnancy? -
Ans--visualization of the fetus by ultrasound at 6+ weeks
A positive sign of pregnancy is visualization of the fetus by ultrasound at 6+
weeks. Amenorrhea is a presumptive sign and can be caused by a variety of
factors. Positive hCG in the blood and uterine growth are both probable
signs but can be caused by hydatidiform or tumors.
A client in her 29th week of gestation reports dizziness and clamminess
when assuming a supine position. During the assessment, the nurse
observes there is a marked decrease in the client's blood pressure. Which
intervention should the nurse implement to help alleviate this client's
condition? - Ans--Place the client in the left lateral position.
The symptoms experienced by the client indicate supine hypotension
syndrome. When the pregnant woman assumes a supine position, the
expanding uterus exerts pressure on the inferior vena. The nurse should
place the client in the left lateral position to correct this syndrome and
optimize cardiac output and uterine perfusion. Elevating the client's legs,
placing the client in an orthopneic position, or keeping the head of the bed
elevated will not help alleviate the client's condition.
A client in her second trimester of pregnancy is anxious about the blotchy,
brown pigmentation appearing on her forehead and cheeks. She also
reports increased pigmentation on her breasts and genitalia. Which
statement by the nurse is most appropriate? - Ans--"This is called facial
melanoma and should fade after the birth."
Second Edition: PrepU; Chapter 11:
Maternal Adaptation During
Pregnancy
Amanda is about 16 weeks pregnant and is concerned because she feels
her "abdomen" contracting. She calls the primary care provider's office and
speaks to the nurse. What is the nurse's most appropriate response to
Amanda's concern? - Ans--"What you are feeling are called Braxton Hicks
contractions. They are considered practice contractions during
pregnancy."
Braxton Hicks contractions are the painless, intermittent, "practice"
contractions of pregnancy.
A woman tells the nurse that she is going to use a home pregnancy test to
determine whether she is pregnant. Which precautions should the nurse
give her? - Ans--Arrange for prenatal care if the test is positive.
Home pregnancy testing can be accurate as soon as a period is missed; it
should not take the place of prenatal care.
During a routine antepartal visit, a pregnant woman reports a white, thick
vaginal discharge. What would the nurse do next? - Ans--Ask the woman if
she is having any itching or irritation.
Although vaginal secretions increase during pregnancy, the nurse would
need to ascertain if this discharge is the normal leukorrhea of pregnancy or
if it is a monilial vaginitis, which is common during pregnancy. The nurse
needs additional information to conclude that the woman's report is normal.
A culture may or may not be necessary. There is no evidence to suggest
that her membranes have ruptured.
,Morning sickness is associated with rising levels of human chorionic
gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone. - Ans--True
Known as morning sickness, nausea and vomiting begins to be noticed at
the same time levels of hCG and progesterone begin to rise so these may
contribute to its cause. Another reason may be a systemic reaction to
increased estrogen levels or decreased glucose levels, because glucose is
being used in such great quantities by the growing fetus.
During a prenatal visit, a client in her second trimester of pregnancy
verbalizes positive feelings about the pregnancy and conceptualizes the
fetus. Which is the most appropriate nursing intervention when the client
expresses such feelings? - Ans--Offer support and validation about the
client's feelings.
During the second trimester, many women will verbalize positive feelings
about the pregnancy and will conceptualize the fetus. The woman may
accept her new body image and talk about the new life within her.
Generating a discussion about the woman's feelings and offering support
and validation at prenatal visits are important nursing interventions. The
nurse should encourage the client in her first trimester to focus on herself,
not on the fetus; this is not required when the client is in her second
trimester. The client's feelings are normal for the second trimester of
pregnancy; hence, it is not necessary either to inform the primary health
care provider about the client's feelings or to tell the client that it is too early
to conceptualize the fetus.
During pregnancy a woman has many psychological adaptations that must
be made. The nurse must remember that the baby's father is also
experiencing the pregnancy and has adaptations that must be made. Some
fathers actually have symptoms of the pregnancy along with the mothers.
What is this called? - Ans--couvade syndrome
Some fathers actually experience some of the physical symptoms of
pregnancy, such as nausea and vomiting, along with their partner. This
phenomenon is called couvade syndrome.
, While providing an education to a prenatal class for first-time mothers and
fathers during the first trimester, the nurse includes information that the
father may experience which occurrence as normal during the pregnancy? -
Ans--physical symptoms similar to the mother
Couvade syndrome is the occurrence of physical symptoms by the male,
similar to the physical symptoms of the mother. Other emotional symptoms
may occur, but they are typically on a person-to-person basis.
Which assessment finding in a woman is a positive sign of pregnancy? -
Ans--visualization of the fetus by ultrasound at 6+ weeks
A positive sign of pregnancy is visualization of the fetus by ultrasound at 6+
weeks. Amenorrhea is a presumptive sign and can be caused by a variety of
factors. Positive hCG in the blood and uterine growth are both probable
signs but can be caused by hydatidiform or tumors.
A client in her 29th week of gestation reports dizziness and clamminess
when assuming a supine position. During the assessment, the nurse
observes there is a marked decrease in the client's blood pressure. Which
intervention should the nurse implement to help alleviate this client's
condition? - Ans--Place the client in the left lateral position.
The symptoms experienced by the client indicate supine hypotension
syndrome. When the pregnant woman assumes a supine position, the
expanding uterus exerts pressure on the inferior vena. The nurse should
place the client in the left lateral position to correct this syndrome and
optimize cardiac output and uterine perfusion. Elevating the client's legs,
placing the client in an orthopneic position, or keeping the head of the bed
elevated will not help alleviate the client's condition.
A client in her second trimester of pregnancy is anxious about the blotchy,
brown pigmentation appearing on her forehead and cheeks. She also
reports increased pigmentation on her breasts and genitalia. Which
statement by the nurse is most appropriate? - Ans--"This is called facial
melanoma and should fade after the birth."
