Respiratory Changes in pregnancy
Respiratory Changes in pregnancy ( 5 Questions)
A nurse is assessing a pregnant client who is in her third trimester.
The nurse notes that the client has a functional residual capacity of 1.8 L.
The nurse should recognize that this finding indicates:.
A normal respiratory change in pregnancy caused by the gravid uterus. This is because the enlarging uterus increases the end-expiratory abdominal pressure and displaces the diaphragm upwards, leading to a reduction of functional residual capacity (FRC) and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) . FRC is the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration. The normal FRC for an adult is about 2.4 L, so a value of 1.8 L indicates a decrease of about 25% .
Pulmonary edema is not a normal respiratory change in pregnancy, but a complication that can occur due to pre-eclampsia, heart failure, or fluid overload. Pulmonary edema would cause symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, chest pain, and frothy sputum.
Increased alveolar ventilation is not caused by FRC reduction, but by increased levels of progesterone that stimulate the respiratory center and increase the sensitivity to carbon dioxide . Alveolar ventilation is the amount of air that reaches the alveoli per minute. Increased alveolar ventilation leads to increased oxygen consumption and decreased carbon dioxide levels in pregnancy.
Asthma is not a normal respiratory change in pregnancy, but a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the airways. Asthma can cause symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma can worsen or improve during pregnancy depending on various factors such as hormonal changes, allergen exposure, and stress.
A normal respiratory change in pregnancy caused by the gravid uterus. This is because the enlarging uterus increases the end-expiratory abdominal pressure and displaces the diaphragm upwards, leading to a reduction of functional residual capacity (FRC) and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) .
FRC is the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration. The normal FRC for an adult is about 2.4 L, so a value of 1.8 L indicates a decrease of about 25% .
Choice B is wrong because pulmonary edema is not a normal respiratory change in pregnancy, but a complication that can occur due to pre-eclampsia, heart failure, or fluid overload.
Pulmonary edema would cause symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, chest pain, and frothy sputum.
Choice C is wrong because increased alveolar ventilation is not caused by FRC reduction, but by increased levels of progesterone that stimulate the respiratory center and increase the sensitivity to carbon dioxide .
Alveolar ventilation is the amount of air that reaches the alveoli per minute.
Increased alveolar ventilation leads to increased oxygen consumption and decreased carbon dioxide levels in pregnancy.
Choice D is wrong because asthma is not a normal respiratory change in pregnancy, but a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the airways.
Asthma can cause symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Asthma can worsen or improve during pregnancy depending on various factors such as hormonal changes, allergen exposure, and stress.