Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis ( 5 Questions)
A nurse is caring for a patient who is at 15 weeks gestation, is rh-negative, and just had an Amniocentesis.
Which of the following interventions is the nurse’s priority following the procedure?
Checking the patient’s temperature is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis. Temperature may be monitored to detect infection, but this is not as urgent as preventing Rh sensitization.
Observing for uterine contractions (UCs) is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis. UCs may indicate preterm labor, but this is not as common or as serious as HDFN.
Administer Rho-Immunoglobulin. This is because the patient is Rh-negative and has a risk of developing antibodies against the Rh antigen of the fetus, which can cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) in subsequent pregnancies. Rho-Immunoglobulin prevents the maternal immune system from recognizing the fetal Rh antigen and producing antibodies.
monitoring the fetal heart rate (FHR) is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis. FHR may be checked to assess fetal well-being, but this is not as important as preventing Rh sensitization.
Administer Rho-Immunoglobulin. This is because the patient is Rh-negative and has a risk of developing antibodies against the Rh antigen of the fetus, which can cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) in subsequent pregnancies. Rho-Immunoglobulin prevents the maternal immune system from recognizing the fetal Rh antigen and producing antibodies.
Choice A is wrong because checking the patient’s temperature is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis.
Temperature may be monitored to detect infection, but this is not as urgent as preventing Rh sensitization.
Choice B is wrong because observing for uterine contractions (UCs) is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis.
UCs may indicate preterm labor, but this is not as common or as serious as HDFN.
Choice D is wrong because monitoring the fetal heart rate (FHR) is not the priority intervention following an amniocentesis.
FHR may be checked to assess fetal well-being, but this is not as important as preventing Rh sensitization.
Normal ranges:
• Temperature: 36.5°C to 37.2°C
• FHR: 110 to 160 beats per minute
• Anti-D antibody titer: < 1:8