Question

A nurse is caring for a client in the prenatal clinic who is at 7 weeks of gestation. The client reports urinary frequency and asks the nurse if this will continue throughout her pregnancy. Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate?

A. Yes, it will, but if you decrease your fluid intake, especially at bedtime, it won't be so bothersome."
Rationale: Fluid intake should not be restricted during pregnancy.
B. "No, in most cases it only lasts until about the 12th week, but it will continue if you have poor bladder tone."
Rationale: The presence or absence of bladder tone has no effect on urinary frequency during pregnancy.
C. There is no way to predict how long it will last for each individual client, so you'll just have to wait and see."
Rationale: This statement is not helpful to the client, as it does not address the client's immediate concems.
D. "No, it should only last until about your 12th week, but it will return near the end of the pregnancy."
Rationale: Urinary frequency usually disappears at about 12 weeks of gestation but returns near term as the enlarging uterus presses on the bladder. It can also worsen following fetal descent.

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the client that urinary frequency usually disappears at about 12 weeks of gestation but may return near the end of the pregnancy due to pressure on the bladder from the enlarging uterus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should respond to the client at 7 weeks of gestation reporting urinary frequency by saying that urinary frequency usually disappears at about 12 weeks of gestation, but it may return near the end of the pregnancy. The enlarging uterus presses on the bladder, which can cause urinary frequency to worsen following fetal descent. The client can expect some relief from urinary frequency in the second trimester, but it may return in the third trimester.