Nokea
The musculoskeletal system adapts to the changes that occur during pregnancy. A woman can expect to experience what change?
- A. Her center of gravity will shift backward
- B. She will have increased lordosis
- C. She will have increased abdominal muscle tone
- D. She will notice decreased mobility of her pelvic joints
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Increased lordosis (curvature of the lower spine) occurs to help balance the growing uterus. Abdominal muscles stretch and weaken, and pelvic joint mobility increases.
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The nurse is educating a pregnant client about common discomforts during the third trimester. Which statement by the nurse is appropriate?
- A. Perform pelvic-tilt exercises.
- B. Eat crackers prior to getting out of bed in the morning.
- C. Use humidifiers or saline nose drops.
- D. Wear a supportive bra.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Perform pelvic-tilt exercises. Pelvic-tilt exercises help alleviate back pain common in the third trimester by strengthening abdominal muscles and reducing strain on the lower back. This is appropriate for addressing discomforts during pregnancy.
B: Eating crackers before getting out of bed helps with morning sickness, not third-trimester discomforts.
C: Using humidifiers or saline nose drops is more related to nasal congestion, not common discomforts in the third trimester.
D: Wearing a supportive bra is important during pregnancy but does not directly address common discomforts in the third trimester.
Mastitis is:
- A. Inflammation of the testes
- B. A condition that causes a woman's breast tissue to become painful and inflamed
- C. Often caused by too much calcium in the diet
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mastitis is inflammation of the breast tissue, often due to infection or blocked milk ducts during breastfeeding.
Cardiovascular system changes occur during pregnancy. Which finding would be considered normal for a woman in her second trimester?
- A. Less audible heart sounds (S1, S2)
- B. Increased pulse rate
- C. Decreased red blood cell (RBC) production
- D. Increased blood pressure
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: During the second trimester, the pulse rate increases by 10-15 beats per minute, while blood pressure typically decreases slightly due to hormonal and circulatory changes.
A woman's obstetric history indicates that she is pregnant for the fourth time and all of her children from previous pregnancies are living. One was born at 39 weeks of gestation, twins were born at 34 weeks of gestation, and another child was born at 35 weeks of gestation. What is her gravidity and parity using the GTPAL system?
- A. 3-1-1-1-3
- B. 4-1-2-0-4
- C. 3-0-3-0-3
- D. 4-2-1-0-3
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rationale for Answer B (4-1-2-0-4):
1. Gravidity: Total number of pregnancies - She is pregnant for the 4th time (G=4).
2. Term Births: Number of pregnancies reaching 37 weeks or more - She had 1 term birth (T=1).
3. Preterm Births: Number of pregnancies ending between 20-36 weeks - She had twins born at 34 weeks (P=2).
4. Abortions: Number of pregnancies ending before 20 weeks - She has no reported abortions (A=0).
5. Living Children: Number of living children - She has all her children from previous pregnancies living (L=4).
Summary of other choices:
A: Incorrect because it indicates 3 term births, which is not accurate.
C: Incorrect as it suggests 3 living children, which is not consistent with the scenario.
D: Incorrect due to incorrect number of preterm births and living
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is an important biochemical marker for pregnancy and the basis for many tests. A maternity nurse should be aware that:
- A. hCG can be detected 2.5 weeks after conception
- B. the hCG level increases gradually and uniformly throughout pregnancy
- C. much lower than normal increases in the level of hCG may indicate a postdate pregnancy
- D. a higher than normal level of hCG may indicate an ectopic pregnancy or Down syndrome
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Higher hCG levels may indicate conditions such as multiple gestation, ectopic pregnancy, or Down syndrome. hCG levels fluctuate during pregnancy and peak around 8-10 weeks.