The nurse caring for the pregnant patient understands that the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy is:
Estrogen
Oxytocin
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
Progesterone
The Correct Answer is D
Choice A rationale
Estrogen is not the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. Estrogen is a hormone that stimulates the growth and development of the female reproductive organs, the breasts, and the placenta. Estrogen also increases the blood flow and the uterine contractility during pregnancy. However, estrogen alone is not sufficient to sustain the pregnancy, as it needs to be balanced by progesterone.
Choice B rationale
Oxytocin is not the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. Oxytocin is a hormone that stimulates the contraction of the uterine and the mammary glands. Oxytocin plays a role in the initiation and the progression of labor, as well as in the milk ejection during breastfeeding. However, oxytocin is not involved in the maintenance of the pregnancy, as it can cause premature labor if released too early.
Choice C rationale
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is not the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. hCG is a hormone that is produced by the placenta and the embryo. hCG supports the corpus luteum, which is the structure that produces progesterone in the early pregnancy. hCG also prevents the immune system from rejecting the fetus, and stimulates the production of other hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. However, hCG is not the main hormone that maintains the pregnancy, as its levels decline after the first trimester, when the placenta takes over the production of progesterone.
Choice D rationale
Progesterone is the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. Progesterone is a hormone that prepares the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus, for the implantation of the fertilized egg. Progesterone also maintains the pregnancy by preventing the uterine contractions and the immune response against the fetus. Progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum in the early pregnancy, and by the placenta in the later pregnancy.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Administering oxygen via face mask is a secondary intervention for late decelerations, which indicate fetal hypoxia. Oxygen may improve the fetal oxygenation, but it does not address the underlying cause of the late decelerations, which is uteroplacental insufficiency.
Choice B rationale
Increasing the infusion rate of the IV fluid is another secondary intervention for late decelerations. IV fluid may increase the maternal blood volume and cardiac output, but it does not improve the placental blood flow, which is the main problem in late decelerations.
Choice C rationale
Elevating the client's legs is not an appropriate intervention for late decelerations. Elevating the legs may reduce the venous return and lower the blood pressure, which can worsen the uteroplacental insufficiency and the fetal hypoxia.
Choice D rationale
Positioning the client on her side is the priority nursing action for late decelerations. This position reduces the pressure of the gravid uterus on the inferior vena cava and the aorta, which improves the maternal and fetal circulation and oxygenation.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) is a protein produced by the fetal liver and yolk sac. It crosses the placenta and enters the maternal blood. High levels of MSAFP may indicate neural tube defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly in the fetus. Low levels of MSAFP may indicate chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome or trisomy 18 in the fetus.
Choice B rationale
Fetal lung maturity is not assessed by MSAFP. Fetal lung maturity is assessed by measuring the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio or the phosphatidylglycerol (PG) level in the amniotic fluid. These tests are usually done in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Choice C rationale
Rh incompatibility is not identified by MSAFP. Rh incompatibility is a condition where the mother has Rh-negative blood and the fetus has Rh-positive blood. This can cause hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) if the mother develops antibodies against the fetal red blood cells. Rh incompatibility is identified by testing the mother's blood type and antibody screen, and the father's blood type if available.
Choice D rationale
MSAFP does not assess various markers of fetal well-being. MSAFP is only one of the markers that can be used in the maternal serum screening test, which is also known as the quad screen or the triple screen. The other markers are human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin A. These markers can help detect the risk of certain birth defects or genetic disorders in the fetus, but they are not definitive tests. Fetal well-being can be assessed by other tests such as fetal movement count, nonstress test, biophysical profile, or Doppler ultrasound.
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