Question

Concerning the third stage of labor, nurses should be aware that:

A) The placenta eventually detaches itself from a flaccid uterus
B) An active approach to managing this stage of labor reduces the risk of excessive bleeding
C) It is important that the dark, roughened maternal surface of the placenta appear before the shiny fetal surface.
D) The major risk for women during the third stage is a rapid heart rate.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B) An active approach to managing the third stage of labor reduces the risk of excessive bleeding. This stage involves delivering the placenta and controlling blood loss through myometrial contractions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Concerning the third stage of labor, nurses should be aware that B) An active approach to managing this stage of labor reduces the risk of excessive bleeding. This stage involves the delivery of the placenta, which occurs after the newborn has been expelled. The myometrium, the muscular layer of the uterine wall, continues to contract, shearing the placenta from the uterine wall and allowing it to be delivered through the vagina. After the placenta is delivered, myometrial contractions help to control blood loss at the placenta site. The examination of the expelled placenta by an obstetrician is crucial to ensure its completeness, as retained fragments can lead to postpartum hemorrhage.