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A nurse is reviewing the prenatal laboratory values for a client at 12 weeks of gestation following an initial prenatal visit. Which of the following laboratory findings should the nurse report to the provider?

A) Hemoglobin of 9 g/dL.
B) White blood cell count of 8,000/mm³.
C) Platelet count of 300,000/mm³.
D) Blood glucose level of 140 mg/dL.

User Chromonav
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The hemoglobin level at 9 g/dL is the lab value that should be reported to the provider because it is below the normal range for pregnant women and could indicate anemia. While the WBC count and platelet count are within normal ranges, the blood glucose level of 140 mg/dL may or may not be of concern depending on the context of the test.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse is reviewing the prenatal laboratory values for a client at 12 weeks of gestation and wondering which of the following laboratory findings should be reported to the provider. Among the given options, option A, a hemoglobin of 9 g/dL, should be reported to the provider. This is because normal hemoglobin levels for a pregnant woman should be above 11 g/dL—the lowered level could indicate anemia, which is a common condition during pregnancy that can lead to fatigue and other health issues if not treated. Option B, a white blood cell count of 8,000/mm³, is within the normal range (3.5 to 11 x 10⁹ cells/L) and does not need to be reported. Option C, a platelet count of 300,000/mm³, is also within the normal range and is not a concern. Lastly, option D, a blood glucose level of 140 mg/dL, should be interpreted with caution as it could indicate gestational diabetes if found during a fasting glucose test, but the result could be normal if the test was conducted postprandially. However, this information was not specified in the question, so it needs further clarification before reporting to the provider.

User Lloyd Armstrong
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