Question

A pregnant pt tells the nurse that she smokes only a few cigarettes per day. What info should the nurse provide the pt about the effects of smoking during pregnancy?

A) "Smoking doesn't affect the baby's health significantly."
B) "Cut down to one cigarette a day for a healthier pregnancy."
C) "Smoking can cause low birth weight and respiratory issues for your baby."
D) "Quit smoking immediately to ensure a healthy pregnancy."

Answer 1

A nurse should advise a pregnant patient who smokes that smoking can cause significant harm to the baby, including low birth weight and respiratory problems. The patient should be encouraged to quit smoking to promote a healthier pregnancy.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a pregnant patient informs the nurse that she smokes cigarettes, it is imperative to communicate the potential risks associated with smoking during pregnancy. Smoking can lead to numerous adverse outcomes including premature birth, low-birth-weight infants, stillbirth, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition, smoking harms the female reproductive system and can cause infertility. Pregnant women should be informed that smoking may also reduce the effectiveness of certain therapeutic drugs and increase their risk of miscarriages and low-birth-weight infants. Therefore, the most appropriate information to provide a pregnant patient is that "Smoking can cause low birth weight and respiratory issues for your baby." and encourage them to quit smoking immediately to ensure a healthier pregnancy for both her and the baby.