A nurse is caring for a client who is at 34 weeks of gestation and is preparing to undergo a nonstress test. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A) Incorrect- the fundal height corresponds with approximately 16 weeks. At around 16 weeks of gestation, the fundal height is usually located approximately at the midpoint between the symphysis pubis (pubic bone) and the belly button (umbilicus). This measurement corresponds to the anatomical level of the uterus at this stage.
B) Incorrect- the fundal height corresponds with approximately 20 weeks. By 20 weeks of gestation, the fundus has typically reached the level of the umbilicus. The fundal height measurement is around the same level as the belly button.
C) Correct- the fundal height corresponds with approximately 32 weeks. Around 32 weeks of gestation, the fundal height has increased significantly compared to earlier stages of pregnancy. The fundus of the uterus is located above the belly button, and the measurement is typically about 32 centimeters (or roughly 12.6 inches) above the symphysis pubis.
D) Incorrect- the fundal height corresponds with approximately 24 weeks. Around 24 weeks of gestation, the fundal height is usually about 1 to 2 fingerbreadths above the
umbilicus. This represents the ongoing upward growth of the uterus as the pregnancy progresses.
E) Incorrect- the fundal height corresponds with approximately 18 weeks. At around 18 weeks of pregnancy, the fundal height is typically located just above the pubic bone, below the belly button (umbilicus). The fundus of the uterus is still relatively low in the abdomen at this point. The fundal height measurement at 18 weeks is usually around the midpoint between the symphysis pubis (pubic bone) and the belly button.

A. Elevated blood pressure is typically associated with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia rather than hyperemesis gravidarum. In hyperemesis, the significant fluid loss through protracted vomiting more commonly leads to hypovolemia and a subsequent decrease in systemic blood pressure. While compensatory tachycardia may occur, hypertension is not a direct scientific expectation for this clinical condition.

B. Leukopenia, which is a decrease in the white blood cell count, is not a typical finding in clients suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum. Hemoconcentration caused by severe dehydration may actually result in a relative increase in various laboratory values, including hematocrit and occasionally white cell counts. There is no physiological mechanism within this disorder that causes the bone marrow suppression required for leukopenia.

C. Hydramnios, or excessive amniotic fluid volume, is generally associated with fetal anomalies or maternal diabetes rather than severe vomiting. Hyperemesis gravidarum is characterized by a state of maternal fluid volume deficit rather than an excess of amniotic fluid. In severe, untreated cases, maternal dehydration might actually lead to decreased placental perfusion and a potential reduction in amniotic fluid.

D. Ketonuria is a critical finding in hyperemesis gravidarum that indicates the body has shifted to an anaerobic metabolic state. Because the client cannot retain sufficient carbohydrates for energy, the body begins catabolizing adipose tissue to produce fuel, resulting in the accumulation of ketone bodies. The presence of these ketones in the urine confirms that the client is experiencing metabolic starvation and requires immediate intervention.