Question

A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client who is in labor about why epidural anesthesia is not initiated until a good labor pattern has been established. Which of the following explanations should the nurse include?

A. Given too soon, epidural anesthesia can cause fetal depression."
Rationale: Epidural anesthesia administered during labor and birth has little or no effect on the newborn.
B. "Given too soon, epidural anesthesia will delay rupture of fetal membranes."
Rationale: An epidural will not affect when the fetal membranes rupture.
C. "Given too soon, epidural anesthesia can prolong labor."
Rationale- Progress in labor slows when clients are given anesthesia before the active phase of labor. The medication depresses the central nervous system, thus it will take longer for the cervix to dilate and efface.
D. "Given too soon, epidural anesthesia can cause maternal hypertension.
Rationale: Epidural anesthesia reduces maternal blood pressure because of central nervous system depression.

Answer 1

Epidural anesthesia is not initiated until a stable labor pattern is present to avoid prolonging labor. Pitocin is administered to induce labor by stimulating uterine contractions, especially when natural labor progression is inadequate, as seen with Janine who was 41 weeks pregnant and experiencing stagnant labor.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a client is in labor, epidural anesthesia is not initiated until a good labor pattern has been established to avoid prolonging labor. If given too soon, epidural anesthesia can cause the progress in labor to slow, as clients are given anesthesia before the active phase of labor. This slowdown occurs because the medication depresses the central nervous system, which can result in it taking longer for the cervix to dilate and efface.

Moreover, Janine, at 41 weeks pregnant, is given an IV infusion of pitocin to induce labor. This is because pitocin is a pharmaceutical version of oxytocin, which plays a critical role in stimulating the uterine contractions required for labor progress. By administering pitocin, medical professionals aim to stimulate these contractions and overcome the stagnation in labor progression, as seen in Janine's case where labor "is just not going anywhere."