Maternity Nursing Q 206

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Which of the following factors is the underlying cause of dystocia?

  

     A. Nutritional

     B. Mechanical

     C. Environmental

     D. Medical

    

    

Correct Answer: B. Mechanical

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Dystocia is difficult, painful, prolonged labor due to mechanical factors involving the fetus (passenger), uterus (powers), pelvis (passage), or psyche.

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Option A: Recognizing the causes of obstructed labor is important if the complications are to be prevented. Adequate prevention, however, can be achieved only through a multidisciplinary approach aimed in the short term at identifying high-risk cases and in the long term at improving nutrition. Early motherhood should be discouraged, and efforts are needed to improve nutrition during infancy, childhood, early adulthood, and pregnancy.

Option C: Dystocia is a complex disorder of poor uterine action that is influenced by a significant genetic component as well as environmental factors. The amount of genetic influence makes it interesting to study the gene expression in these patients. Detection of the genes related to dystocia might lead to better pathophysiological understanding of this condition and detection of these mothers before parturition.

Option D: A number of researchers have regarded factors such as mother’s age, height, weight before pregnancy, body mass index (BMI), weight gain during pregnancy, fundal height, birth weight, and foot length of the mother as risk factors.

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