Maternity Nursing Q 75
A patient with pregnancy-induced hypertension probably exhibits which of the following symptoms?
A. Proteinuria, headaches, vaginal bleeding
B. Headaches, double vision, vaginal bleeding
C. Proteinuria, headaches, double vision
D. Proteinuria, double vision, uterine contractions
Correct Answer: C. Proteinuria, headaches, double vision
A patient with pregnancy-induced hypertension complains of a headache, double vision, and sudden weight gain. A urine specimen reveals proteinuria.
Option A: Pre-eclampsia increases the risk for placental abruption, a condition in which the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery. Severe abruption can cause heavy bleeding, which can be life-threatening for both the baby and the mother.
Option B: Any hypertensive disorder of pregnancy can result in preeclampsia. It occurs in up to 35% of women with gestational hypertension and up to 25% of those with chronic hypertension. The underlying pathophysiology that upholds this transition to, or superposition of, preeclampsia is not well understood; however, it is thought to be related to a mechanism of reduced placental perfusion inducing the systemic vascular endothelial dysfunction.
Option D: Symptoms of preeclampsia may include visual disturbances, typically scintillations and scotomata, presumed to be due to cerebral vasospasm. The woman may describe new-onset headache that is frontal, throbbing, or similar to a migraine headache, and gastrointestinal complaints of sudden, new-onset, constant epigastric pain that may be moderate to severe in intensity and due to hepatic swelling and inflammation, with stretch of the liver capsule.