A nurse is formulating a care plan for a patient who is 10 weeks pregnant and reports abdominal pain and moderate vaginal bleeding.
The preliminary diagnosis is an inevitable abortion.
Which nursing interventions should be included in the care plan?

Choice A rationale

Instructing the client to avoid alcohol for 72 hr after treatment is a common instruction given when a client is prescribed certain medications, such as metronidazole, due to the potential for a disulfiram-like reaction. However, this choice does not directly address the client’s symptoms of inflamed labia majora and minora and a large amount of frothy, yellow-green, malodorous discharge.

Choice B rationale

The client’s symptoms are indicative of Trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite. Metronidazole is a medication commonly used to treat this infection. A single dose of 2 g orally is a typical treatment regimen.

Choice C rationale

An oatmeal sitz bath can help soothe irritated skin and reduce inflammation, but it does not treat the underlying cause of the client’s symptoms.

Choice D rationale

Recommending the client’s partner receive treatment is important in cases of sexually transmitted infections to prevent reinfection. However, this choice does not directly address the client’s immediate need for treatment.

Choice A rationale

Anomalies in fetal chromosomes can be identified through amniocentesis. This test involves the extraction of a small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains fetal tissues. The chromosomes of the fetus can be examined for abnormalities.

Choice B rationale

Cephalopelvic disproportion refers to a condition where the mother’s pelvis is too small to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal. This condition cannot be identified through amniocentesis. Amniocentesis is a diagnostic procedure that examines the amniotic fluid (not the maternal pelvis or the size of the fetus) to detect chromosomal abnormalities and certain genetic disorders.

Choice C rationale

Fetal gender can be determined through amniocentesis. The test can identify the presence of Y chromosomes, which would indicate a male fetus.

Choice D rationale

Rh incompatibility is a condition that occurs when a mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive. This condition cannot be identified through amniocentesis. Instead, it is typically identified through blood tests of the mother and father.

Choice E rationale

Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, can be identified through amniocentesis. The test can detect high levels of alpha-fetoprotein, which is often present when a fetus has a neural tube defect.