Maternity Nursing Q 98
Which of the following signs will require a mother to seek immediate medical attention?
A. When the first fetal movement is felt.
B. No fetal movement is felt on the 6th month.
C. Mild uterine contraction.
D. Slight dyspnea on the last month of gestation.
Correct Answer: B. No fetal movement is felt on the 6th month.
Fetal movement is usually felt by the mother during 4.5 – 5 months. If the pregnancy is already in its 6th month and no fetal movement is felt, the pregnancy is not normal either the fetus is already dead intra-uterine or it is an H-mole.
Option A: The first fetal movements which are felt by the mother are called quickening. One function of these movements is to alert the pregnant woman that she has a fetus growing in her uterus. Quickening often occurs between the 16th to the 22nd week of pregnancy. This is called a presumptive sign of pregnancy as the other movements of the woman’s body can mimic early fetal movements such as flatus, peristalsis, and abdominal muscle contractions.
Option C: Sometime during the second or third trimester, the woman might start to feel mild, sporadic contractions, especially when she is tired or dehydrated, or after sex. These normal contractions, called Braxton Hicks contractions or false labor, are the body’s way of rehearsing for birth.
Option D: In the first few weeks of pregnancy, a normal increase in the hormone progesterone causes the woman to breathe more often. This can look and feel like shortness of breath. This hormone expands the lung capacity, allowing blood to carry large quantities of oxygen to the baby.