Author Question: A pregnant woman presents in labor at term, having had no prenatal care. After birth, her infant is ... (Read 54 times)

ENagel · **on:** Jun 27, 2018

A pregnant woman presents in labor at term, having had no prenatal care. After birth, her infant is noted to be small for gestational age with small eyes, a thin upper lip, and microce-phaly.

Based on her infant's physical findings, this woman should be questioned regarding her use of which substance during pregnancy? 1. Alcohol
2. Cocaine
3. Heroin
4. Marijuana

Question 2

The following are nursing care measures commonly offered to women in labor. Which nursing measure reflects application of the gate control theory?

1. Massage the woman's back.
2. Change the woman's position.
3. Give the prescribed medication.
4. Encourage the woman to rest between contractions.

alexisweber49 · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

1
1. Correct. The description of the infant suggests fetal alcohol syndrome, consistent with maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
2. Incorrect. Fetal brain, kidney, and urogenital system malformations have been associated with maternal cocaine ingestions.
3. Incorrect. Heroin use in pregnancy frequently results in IUGR. The infant may have a shrill cry and sleep cycle disturbances and may present with poor feeding, tachypnea, vomit-ing, diarrhea, hypothermia or hyperthermia, and sweating.
4. Incorrect. Studies have found a higher incidence of meconium staining in infants born of mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy.

Answer to Question 2

1
1. Correct. According to the gate-control theory, pain sensations travel along sensory nerve pathways to the brain, but only a limited number of sensations, or messages, can travel through these nerve pathways at one time. Distraction techniques such as massage or stroking, music, focal points, and imagery reduce or completely block the capacity of nerve pathways to transmit pain. These distractions are thought to work by closing down a hypothetic gate in the spinal cord, thus preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. The perception of pain is thereby dimi-nished.
2, 3, 4. Incorrect. These activities do not reduce or block the capacity of nerve pathways to transmit pain using the gate-control theory.