Summary
Summary ( 17 Questions)
A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has PPROM at 30 weeks of gestation.
The nurse should expect to see which of the following values for the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in the amniotic fluid?
it suggests immature lungs and a high risk of RDS
it also suggests immature lungs and a high risk of RDS
it is still below the threshold of 2:1 or 2.5:1 for fetal lung maturity and may indicate a moderate risk of RDS
This value indicates a mature lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in the amniotic fluid, which reflects the fetal lung maturity and the low risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) after birth. The L/S ratio is a test that measures the amount of lecithin and sphingomyelin, two types of phospholipids that are important for the formation of surfactant, a substance that prevents the lungs from collapsing. Lecithin increases and sphingomyelin stays constant as the fetus matures, so a higher L/S ratio indicates more surfactant and more lung development. A ratio of greater than 2:1 or 2.5:1 is 98% predictive of fetal lung maturity in most assays.
This value indicates a mature lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in the amniotic fluid, which reflects the fetal lung maturity and the low risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) after birth. The L/S ratio is a test that measures the amount of lecithin and sphingomyelin, two types of phospholipids that are important for the formation of surfactant, a substance that prevents the lungs from collapsing. Lecithin increases and sphingomyelin stays constant as the fetus matures, so a higher L/S ratio indicates more surfactant and more lung development. A ratio of greater than 2:1 or 2.5:1 is 98% predictive of fetal lung maturity in most assays.