A nurse is assessing a patient with infertility and suspects underlying PCOS.
Which action should the nurse prioritize?

Choice A rationale:

Administer fertility medications.

Administering fertility medications is not the initial priority when assessing a patient with suspected PCOS and infertility.

Fertility medications may be part of the treatment plan, but the nurse should first gather more information through assessments and tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the most appropriate course of action.

Choice B rationale:

Schedule an immediate surgery.

Scheduling immediate surgery is not the priority at this stage.

Surgery may be considered as a treatment option for PCOS-related infertility, but it should not be the initial step in the assessment process.

Less invasive and diagnostic measures should be undertaken first to confirm the diagnosis and assess the patient's condition.

Choice D rationale:

Refer the patient for counseling.

Referring the patient for counseling is essential in addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of infertility.

However, it should not be the top priority when assessing a patient with suspected PCOS and infertility.

First, the nurse should focus on gathering diagnostic information to determine the underlying cause of infertility.

Choice C rationale:

Obtain hormone level tests.

Obtaining hormone level tests is the most appropriate initial action when assessing a patient with suspected PCOS and infertility.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hormonal imbalances, such as elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and androgens.

Measuring hormone levels can help confirm the diagnosis and guide the treatment plan.

Choice A rationale:

"ART includes surgeries to correct infertility." is not entirely accurate.

ART primarily involves medical and laboratory procedures, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), to facilitate conception.

Surgeries to correct infertility issues would typically fall under a different category of treatment.

Choice B rationale:

"ART involves lifestyle modifications only." is not accurate.

While lifestyle modifications can complement ART, ART itself encompasses various assisted reproductive techniques, such as IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), which are not limited to lifestyle changes.

Choice C rationale:

This is the correct answer.

IVF (in vitro fertilization) is indeed an example of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

IVF involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body and then transferring the embryo into the uterus to achieve pregnancy.

It's essential for the nurse to provide accurate information about ART to the client.

Choice D rationale:

"ART focuses on emotional support." is not an accurate description of ART.

While emotional support is important during infertility treatment, ART primarily refers to the medical and technological methods used to assist individuals or couples in achieving pregnancy when other methods have been unsuccessful.