A nurse is preparing to measure the baseline fetal heart rate (FHR) on a client in labor.
Which of the following statements is NOT accurate regarding baseline fetal heart rates?

Choice A rationale

Elevating the head reduces the risk of aspiration by preventing stomach contents, including gastric juices, from entering the lungs. This position is essential for infants with tracheoesophageal fistula due to the abnormal connection between the trachea and esophagus, which increases aspiration risk.

Choice B rationale

Facilitating food digestion is not the primary goal of this positioning. Gastric motility and digestion are unaffected by head elevation, making this rationale irrelevant to the question. Therefore, this is not the correct choice.

Choice C rationale

While head elevation can improve breathing by reducing diaphragm compression, the primary purpose in this context is to prevent aspiration. Lung expansion is a secondary benefit, but it is not the main reason for this position.

Choice D rationale

Reducing stomach pressure is not the key reason for elevating the head in this case. Although head elevation can minimize intra-abdominal pressure, this rationale does not address the critical concern of preventing aspiration in tracheoesophageal fistula. .

Choice A rationale

Elevated AFP levels are not typically associated with Down syndrome. In fact, pregnancies with Down syndrome often show decreased levels of AFP in maternal serum screening. AFP is a protein produced by the fetal liver, and its levels vary depending on developmental abnormalities like neural tube defects, not chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome.

Choice B rationale

Elevated AFP levels in a pregnant patient indicate potential neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Spina bifida results from incomplete closure of the fetal neural tube during early pregnancy, leading to exposure of neural tissues. AFP leaks into the maternal serum through this defect, thus raising its concentration significantly, which serves as a marker.

Choice C rationale

AFP levels are generally low in cases of Down syndrome due to chromosomal anomalies. Trisomy 21 pregnancies display distinctive serum markers, including decreased AFP. Elevated AFP does not signify Down syndrome because the pathology involves a different spectrum of physiological abnormalities.

Choice D rationale

While spina bifida is indeed a condition associated with elevated AFP, this statement is less accurate due to the phrasing. AFP elevations serve as an indicator rather than definitive confirmation of spina bifida. Further diagnostic tests like ultrasonography or amniocentesis are needed to confirm the condition.