A nurse is providing teaching to an antepartum client who has a new diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). Which of the following information should the nurse include?

Choice A rationale

Fundal massage is the primary intervention for uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage to stimulate uterine contraction and tamponade bleeding. However, an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is characterized by sudden cardiopulmonary collapse, hypoxia, and coagulopathy, where fundal massage is irrelevant to the underlying pathology.

Choice B rationale

AFE involves the sudden entry of amniotic fluid into the maternal circulation, triggering a massive anaphylactoid reaction, acute respiratory distress, and severe refractory hypotension, leading to cardiac and respiratory arrest. Initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is often immediately required to support life functions.

Choice C rationale

Assisting the client to empty their bladder may be beneficial during labor to allow the fetal head to descend, but it is not a priority intervention for the life-threatening, acute physiological crisis of an AFE. The immediate focus must be on optimizing oxygenation, circulation, and treating the underlying shock and coagulopathy.

Choice D rationale

AFE causes severe pulmonary vasoconstriction and acute respiratory distress, leading to profound hypoxemia. Applying oxygen at 2 L/min via nasal cannula is insufficient for this level of respiratory compromise; the client requires high-flow oxygen, often nonrebreather mask or mechanical ventilation, to maintain adequate arterial oxygen saturation.

Choice A rationale

Skin mottling, characterized by a patchy, net-like, reddish-blue discoloration of the skin, is typically caused by vasoconstriction in response to cold exposure or by circulatory changes in individuals with poor peripheral perfusion. This is not a typical, expected body change during a normal pregnancy; expected skin changes relate more to hyperpigmentation (e.g., chloasma, linea nigra).

Choice B rationale

During pregnancy, hormonal changes, particularly the increase in estrogen, shift a greater proportion of hair follicles into the anagen (growth) phase, leading to thicker, fuller hair. Hair thinning (telogen effluvium) is commonly experienced postpartum when hormone levels drop and the hair follicles shift rapidly back into the telogen (resting) phase, thus it is not expected at 14 weeks gestation.

Choice C rationale

Nipple inversion is a structural variation where the nipple is retracted into the areola; it is not a change that typically develops during pregnancy. Expected breast changes include areolar darkening (hyperpigmentation), prominent Montgomery's tubercles, and nipple erection. Nipple inversion is a pre-existing condition that may present challenges for breastfeeding.

Choice D rationale

Breast enlargement (hypertrophy) is an expected and early body change during pregnancy, beginning in the first trimester (around 6 weeks). This growth is driven by elevated estrogen and progesterone levels, stimulating the development of the mammary glands in preparation for lactation, and is often accompanied by tenderness and increased vascularity.