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A patient at 13 weeks gestation asks the nurse how her baby is nourished during pregnancy. Which information does the nurse use to explain the process to the mother?
- A. Fetal waste products and CO2 pass through the placenta to the mother.
- B. The placenta is a special organ developed to create nutrients and oxygen.
- C. The mother’s blood and fetus’s blood mix for an exchange of nutrients.
- D. Glucose, amino acids, and oxygen pass through the placenta from mother to baby.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for choice D being correct:
1. Glucose, amino acids, and oxygen are essential nutrients for fetal growth.
2. These nutrients pass through the placenta from the mother's blood to the baby's blood.
3. This exchange occurs via diffusion and active transport processes.
4. The placenta acts as a barrier, filtering out harmful substances like waste products and CO2.
5. This process ensures the baby receives necessary nutrients for development.
Summary of why other choices are incorrect:
A: Fetal waste products and CO2 pass from the baby to the mother, not the other way around.
B: The placenta facilitates nutrient and oxygen exchange but does not create them.
C: The mother's and baby's blood do not mix; exchange of nutrients occurs through the placental barrier.
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The nurse is explaining the process of cell division during the preembryonic period to a group of nursing students. Which statement best describes the characteristics of the morula?
- A. Fertilized ovum before mitosis begins
- B. Double layer of cells that becomes the placenta
- C. Flattened, disk-shaped layer of cells within a fluid-filled sphere
- D. Solid ball composed of the first cells formed after fertilization
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because a morula is a solid ball composed of the first cells formed after fertilization. During the preembryonic period, the zygote undergoes several rounds of cell division to form a morula, which is a compact cluster of cells. A: is incorrect as a fertilized ovum is a zygote, not a morula. B: is incorrect as the double layer of cells that becomes the placenta is the bilaminar germ disc, not the morula. C: is incorrect as a flattened, disk-shaped layer of cells within a fluid-filled sphere describes the blastocyst, not the morula. Thus, the characteristics of a morula being a solid ball composed of the first cells formed after fertilization make option D the correct choice.
The nurse is providing care to a pregnant person at 32 weeks’ gestation. The nurse expects to observe what change in the pregnant person’s spine?
- A. sclerosis
- B. scoliosis
- C. kyphosis
- D. lordosis
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: lordosis. At 32 weeks' gestation, the pregnant person's center of gravity shifts forward, causing an increased lumbar lordosis to compensate. This change helps maintain balance and support the growing uterus. Sclerosis (choice A) refers to hardening of tissues, not a typical change in the spine during pregnancy. Scoliosis (choice B) is a lateral curvature of the spine, not typically related to pregnancy. Kyphosis (choice C) is an exaggerated outward curve in the upper spine, not a common change in pregnancy.
The nurse would anticipate that a patient with elevated levels of which hormone would require radiologic imaging of the brain?
- A. TSH
- B. prolactin
- C. progesterone
- D. FSH
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: prolactin. Elevated prolactin levels can indicate a pituitary tumor, which may require brain imaging. TSH, progesterone, and FSH are not typically associated with the need for brain imaging. TSH is related to thyroid function, progesterone to the menstrual cycle, and FSH to reproductive health. Prolactin is the hormone primarily associated with lactation and can be elevated due to various reasons, including pituitary tumors. Therefore, in a patient with elevated prolactin levels, brain imaging is necessary to assess for the presence of a pituitary tumor.
What is the purpose of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in the first trimester?
- A. to measure the amount of amniotic fluid
- B. to confirm pregnancy
- C. to assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus
- D. to assess for potential maternal infection
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Rationale: CVS is done in the first trimester to assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus by obtaining a sample of cells from the placenta. This allows for genetic testing to detect conditions such as Down syndrome. Other choices are incorrect as CVS is not used to measure amniotic fluid quantity (A), confirm pregnancy (B), or assess maternal infection (D).
Which statement best describes the changes that occur during the fetal period of development?
- A. Maturation of organ systems
- B. Development of basic organ systems
- C. Resistance of organs to damage from external agents
- D. Development of placental oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because during the fetal period, organ systems continue to mature and develop to become fully functional. This includes refining the structures and functions of organs that have already been formed during the embryonic period. Option B is incorrect because basic organ systems are already formed during the embryonic period. Option C is incorrect as organs are still susceptible to damage during the fetal period. Option D is incorrect because the development of placental oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange primarily occurs during the early stages of pregnancy, not specifically during the fetal period.