Question

By her fifth month of pregnancy, a 32 year old multipara of average prenatal height and weight has gained 14lbs. Which of the following actions by the nurse is most important?

A. advise the client she has gained too much weight and her diet should be reevaluated
B. advise the client she has not gained enough weight and her diet should be reevaluated.
C. Inform the client her weight gain is appropriate and she should continue on her present diet.
D. Inform the client she may have difficulties later in pregnancy and more frequent visits to the physician are indicated.

Answer 1

The nurse should inform the multipara that her 14lb weight gain over five months is appropriate, and she should maintain her current diet as this aligns with the expected weight gain during pregnancy.

Step-by-step explanation:

By her fifth month of pregnancy, a 32 year old multipara of average prenatal height and weight has gained 14lbs. The most appropriate action by the nurse is C. Inform the client her weight gain is appropriate and she should continue on her present diet. During the second and third trimesters, it is common for pregnant individuals to gain approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) per week. Since this person has gained 14 lbs over 5 months, which roughly equates to about 1 lb per week, her weight gain is within the expected range. Excessive weight gain can be detrimental to both the mother and the fetus, possibly leading to diabetes and obesity later in life for the baby, but in this situation, the weight gain is on target.