Maternity Nursing: And Newborn Nursing Test Bank Part 2

The nurse is counseling a couple who has sought information about conceiving. The couple asks the nurse to explain when ovulation usually occurs. Which statement by the nurse is correct? o A. Two weeks before menstruation. o B. Immediately after menstruation. o C. Immediately before menstruation. o D. Three weeks before menstruation. Correct Correct Answer: A. Two weeks before menstruation Ovulation occurs 14 days before the first day of the menstrual period (A). Although ovulation can occur in the middle of the cycle or 2 weeks after menstruation, this is only true for a woman who has a perfect 28-day cycle. For many women, the length of the menstrual cycle varies. • Option B: After the follicle releases its egg, it changes into the corpus luteum. This structure releases hormones, mainly progesterone and some estrogen. The rise in hormones keeps the uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant. If the woman does get pregnant, her body will produce human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This is the hormone pregnancy tests detect. It helps maintain the corpus luteum and keeps the uterine lining thick. If the woman doesn’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be resorbed. This leads to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which causes the onset of the period. The uterine lining will shed during this period. • Option C: The menstrual phase is the first stage of the menstrual cycle. It’s also when the woman gets her period. This phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized. Because pregnancy hasn’t taken place, levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone drop. The thickened lining of the uterus, which would support a pregnancy, is no longer needed, so it sheds through the vagina. During this period, there is a release of a combination of blood, mucus, and tissue from the uterus. • Option D: During each menstrual cycle, an egg develops and is released from the ovaries. The lining of the uterus builds up. If a pregnancy doesn’t happen, the uterine lining sheds during a menstrual period. Then the cycle starts again.