Maternity Nursing Q 23
Which of the following findings in a woman would be consistent with a pregnancy of two months duration?
A. Weight gain of 6-10 lbs. And the presence of striae gravidarum.
B. Fullness of the breast and urinary frequency.
C. Braxton Hicks contractions and quickening.
D. Increased respiratory rate and ballottement.
Correct Answer: B. Fullness of the breast and urinary frequency.
The fullness of the breast is due to the increased amount of progesterone in pregnancy. The urinary frequency is caused by the compression of the urinary bladder by the gravid uterus which is still within the pelvic cavity during the first trimester.
Option A: In the first trimester, most women don’t need to gain much weight — which is good news if she is struggling with morning sickness. If the woman starts out at a healthy or normal weight, she needs to gain only about 1 to 4 pounds (0.5 to 1.8 kilograms) in the first few months of pregnancy.
Option C: Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic contractions and relaxation of the uterine muscle. Sometimes, they are referred to as prodromal or “false labor” pains. It is believed they start around 6 weeks gestation but usually are not felt until the second or third trimester of the pregnancy.
Option D: Minute ventilation (V?E) starts to increase significantly (by up to 48%) during the first trimester of gestation, due to higher tidal volume (VT) with unchanged respiratory rate. This ventilatory pattern is then maintained throughout the course of pregnancy. Ballottement is a sharp upward push against the uterine wall with a finger inserted into the vagina for diagnosing pregnancy by feeling the return impact of the displaced fetus also.