A client is diagnosed with preeclampsia and is receiving magnesium sulfate IV for seizure prophylaxis.

The nurse should monitor which of the following laboratory values?

The correct answer is choice A, B, C and E.These are all risk factors for gestational hypertension according to various sources.

Some possible explanations for each choice are:

• Choice A: Maternal age over 35 years.Older women are more likely to have chronic hypertension, diabetes, or other conditions that increase the risk of gestational hypertension.

• Choice B: First pregnancy.Women who are pregnant for the first time are more likely to develop gestational hypertension than women who have had previous pregnancies.

• Choice C: Multiple gestation.Women who are carrying twins, triplets, or more are more likely to have gestational hypertension because of the increased placental mass and blood volume.

• Choice D: History of diabetes mellitus.This is not a risk factor for gestational hypertension, but it is a risk factor for preeclampsia, which is a more severe form of hypertension that involves proteinuria and organ damage.

Preeclampsia can develop from gestational hypertension or occur independently.

• Choice E: African American race.African American women are more likely to have gestational hypertension than women of other races or ethnicities.

This may be due to genetic, environmental, or social factors that affect blood pressure regulation.

Normal ranges for blood pressure during pregnancy are less than 140/90 mmHg.Gestational hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg after 20 weeks of pregnancy and there is no proteinuria or other signs of preeclampsia.Gestational hypertension usually goes away after delivery, but it can increase the risk of complications for both the mother and the baby.

The correct answer is choice D. Hemoglobin 6 g/dL, platelets 25,000/mm3, AST 120 U/L, ALT 100 U/L.

This is because HELLP syndrome is a pregnancy complication that causes hemolysis (breaking down of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes (indicating liver injury), and low platelet count (impairing blood clotting).

Choice A is wrong because hemoglobin 12 g/dL, platelets 150,000/mm3, AST 20 U/L, ALT 18 U/L are all within normal ranges and do not indicate HELLP syndrome.

Choice B is wrong because hemoglobin 10 g/dL, platelets 100,000/mm3, AST 40 U/L, ALT 35 U/L are mildly abnormal and may suggest mild preeclampsia but not HELLP syndrome.

Choice C is wrong because hemoglobin 8 g/dL, platelets 50,000/mm3, AST 80 U/L, ALT 70 U/L are moderately abnormal and may suggest moderate preeclampsia or incomplete HELLP syndrome but not full HELLP syndrome.

Normal ranges for these laboratory tests are:

• Hemoglobin: 11.5 to 16.5 g/dL for women.

• Platelets: 150,000 to 450,000/mm3 for adults.

• AST: 10 to 40 U/L for adults.

• ALT: 7 to 56 U/L for adults.