During the preconception phase, the nurse should teach about which infectious diseases as risk factors for maternal complications? (Select all that apply).

Choice A rationale:

Drying the baby after birth and wrapping the baby in a dry blanket helps prevent evaporative heat loss. Newborns have a high surface area-to-body mass ratio, making them vulnerable to heat loss through evaporation. Keeping them dry and warm helps maintain their body temperature within the normal range (around 97.8-99.1°F or 36.5-37.3°C).

Choice B rationale:

Avoiding drafts and air conditioners is important to prevent convective heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Convective heat loss occurs when warm air around the baby is replaced by cooler air, leading to heat loss.

Choice C rationale:

Placing the baby away from the outside wall and windows is related to radiant heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Radiant heat loss occurs when the baby loses heat to a colder surface without direct contact.

Choice D rationale:

Warming the stethoscope and the nurse's hands before touching the baby is important for preventing conductive heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Conductive heat loss happens when the baby comes into direct contact with a colder object or surface.

Choice A rationale:

Perinatal transmission of HIV can occur not only in the third trimester but also during labor and delivery. It is not limited to the maternal circulation alone.

Choice B rationale:

While needlestick injuries are a potential risk for healthcare workers, perinatal transmission to the newborn does not occur through this route.

Choice C rationale:

HIV is not transmitted through the ingestion of amniotic fluid. The virus can be present in the amniotic fluid, but the main route of transmission to the newborn is during delivery or through breastfeeding.

Choice D rationale:

The correct answer. HIV can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child through breastfeeding if appropriate antiretroviral therapy is not administered. Breast milk can contain the virus, putting the infant at risk of infection. Therefore, in cases where the mother is HIV-positive, formula feeding is recommended to prevent transmission of the virus to the newborn.