A nurse is assessing a client who is 12 hours postpartum and received spinal anesthesia for a cesarean birth.
Which of the following findings requires immediate intervention by the nurse?

Choice A rationale

Hyperemesis gravidarum is severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, typically occurring in the first trimester. Amniocentesis is a procedure performed later in pregnancy, so hyperemesis is not a direct complication of the procedure.

Choice B rationale

Proteinuria is the presence of protein in the urine, which can be a sign of preeclampsia during pregnancy. While amniocentesis carries a small risk of complications, proteinuria is not a direct expected complication of the procedure itself.

Choice C rationale

Hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding, is a potential complication of amniocentesis because the procedure involves inserting a needle through the abdominal wall and uterus to withdraw amniotic fluid. This can potentially damage blood vessels, leading to bleeding at the insertion site or internally.

Choice D rationale

Hypoxia is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. While fetal well-being is monitored during and after amniocentesis, hypoxia is not a direct complication for the mother.

Choice A rationale

Wrapping the baby in warmed blankets addresses heat loss through conduction (direct contact with a cooler surface) and radiation (heat transfer to cooler surroundings). While helpful for maintaining warmth, it does not directly prevent heat loss from convection.

Choice B rationale

Convection is the loss of heat to cooler air currents moving across the skin surface. A blowing fan increases the rate of convective heat loss by continuously moving cooler air over the newborn. Moving the infant away from a blowing fan minimizes this heat transfer mechanism, thus preventing heat loss from convection.

Choice C rationale

Drying the baby after a bath primarily prevents heat loss through evaporation, as the evaporation of water from the skin surface cools the body. While important for thermoregulation, it does not directly address convective heat loss.

Choice D rationale

Placing the baby in a warmer, such as a radiant warmer, primarily prevents heat loss through radiation by providing a warm surface that emits infrared heat towards the infant. It also helps maintain the ambient air temperature, indirectly reducing convective heat loss, but moving away from a direct air current is the most direct way to prevent convection.