Question

A client comes to the prenatal clinic for the first visit. The nursing history reveals the client's last menstrual period was five months ago, and the client is certain of pregnancy and reports feeling the baby move. Which response by the nurse is best?

a) It's common for women to mistake other sensations for fetal movement early in pregnancy.
b) Feeling the baby move this early is unusual; let's explore this further.
c) It's important to confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound at this point.
d) The absence of a menstrual period for five months is concerning; we need to investigate.

Answer 1

The nurse should suggest confirming the pregnancy with an ultrasound as the client is likely in the second trimester and feeling fetal movements is common during this stage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response by the nurse would be (c) It's important to confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound at this point. Given that the client's last menstrual period was five months ago, and the client is feeling fetal movements, the pregnancy is likely in the second trimester. Typically, quickening or fetal movements are felt around weeks 16-20. Additionally, missing a menstrual period for five months does not necessarily indicate concern but rather aligns with typical pregnancy progression. Confirming the pregnancy with an ultrasound is a standard procedure to assess fetal development and health.