Fetal and Maternal Assessment Techniques Flashcards
Name five maternal variables associated with diagnosis of a high-risk pregnancy.
Age (under 17 or over 34 years of age); parity (over 5); <3 months between pregnancies; diagnosis of preeclampsia; diabetes mellitus, or cardiac disease
Is one ultrasound examination useful in determining the presence of IUGR?
No. Serial measurements are needed to determine IUGR.
What does the BPP determine?
Fetal well-being
List three necessary nursing actions prior to an ultrasound examination for a woman in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Have client fill bladder. Do not allow client to void. Position client supine and with uterine wedge.
State the advantage of CVS over amniocentesis.
Can be done between 8 to 12 weeks gestation, with results returned within 1 week, which allows for decision about termination while still in first trimester.
Why are serum or amniotic AFP levels done prenatally?
To determine whether AFP levels are elevated, which may indicate the presence of neural tube defects; or whether they are low, which may indicate trisomy 21.
What is the most important determinant of fetal maturity or extrauterine survival?
L/S ratio (lung maturity, lung surfactant development)
Name the three most common complications of amniocentesis.
Spontaneous abortion, fetal injury, infection
Name the four periodic changes of the FHR, their causes, and one nursing treatment for each.
- Accelerations are caused by a burst of sympathetic activity; they are reassuring and require no treatment.
- Early decelerations are caused by head compression; they are benign and alert the nurse to monitor for labor progress and fetal descent.
- Variable decelerations are caused by cord compression; change of position should be tried first.
- Late decelerations are caused by UPI and should be treated by placing client on her side and administering oxygen.
What is the most important indicator of fetal autonomic nervous system integrity and health?
FHR variability
Name four causes of decreased FHR variability.
Hypoxia, acidosis, drugs, fetal sleep
State the most important action to take when a cord prolapse is determined.
Examiner should position mother to relieve pressure on the cord or push the presenting part off the cord with fingers until emergency delivery is accomplished.
What is a reactive nonstress test?
FHR acceleration of 15 bpm for 15 seconds in response to fetal movement
What are the dangers of the nipple-stimulation stress test?
The inability to control oxytocin “dosage” and the chance of tetany/hyperstimulation
Normal fetal scalp pH in labor is ___, and values below___ indicate true acidosis.
7.25 to 7.35; 7.2
