Final answer:
In the context of post-cesarean delivery care, the highest priority for monitoring should be thrombophlebitis due to its immediate and life-threatening risk. Other options, while important, do not pose an immediate risk to life like thrombophlebitis does.The correct answer is option (d).
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question concerns the post-operative care and monitoring of a client who has undergone a cesarean delivery. After such a surgical procedure, it is crucial for healthcare providers to be vigilant about several potential complications that can arise. When considering the options listed, we must prioritize based on immediate threat to life and the potential for rapid deterioration.
The primary concern is often related to thrombophlebitis, which is an inflammatory process that causes a blood clot to form and block one or more veins, typically in the legs. This condition is critical to monitor for because during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of blood clots. According to the information provided, clots may form in the legs due to pressure from the fetus on returning veins. Hence, a blood clot can travel to the lungs and cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, which is why thrombophlebitis is often considered a high-priority post-operative complication to be monitored.
Respiratory distress is also a severe complication and should be monitored particularly if the client had a general anesthetic, which can affect respiratory function. However, thrombophlebitis poses a potential immediate and serious risk, overshadowing the urgency of respiratory issues that can be quickly detected by observing the patient's breathing and oxygen saturation.
Although wound infection is a concern and can lead to significant morbidity, it usually occurs later in the postoperative course and may come with early warning signs such as redness, pain, or discharge that can be addressed swiftly if adequate monitoring is in place.
Urinary incontinence is less life-threatening than other complications listed and, while important to patient quality of life and comfort, it is typically not a priority in the immediate postoperative period compared to thrombophlebitis or respiratory distress.
Therefore, the correct option in the final answer to monitor for the potential complication is:
d) Thrombophlebitis.