Question

During a prenatal examination at 30 weeks gestation, a woman is lying on her back on the examining table. She suddenly complains of dizziness and feeling faint. The most appropriate response of the nurse would be to:

1. reassure the woman and take measures to reduce her anxiety level.
2. offer the woman some orange juice or other rapidly absorbed form of glucose.
3. place a pillow under the woman's head.
4. turn the woman onto her side.

Answer 1

Option 4. The appropriate action when a pregnant woman feels faint during an examination is to turn her onto her side to alleviate vena cava compression and restore normal blood flow.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a woman at 30 weeks gestation lies on her back during a prenatal examination and experiences dizziness and feeling faint, the most appropriate response would be to turn the woman onto her side. This symptom is most likely due to supine hypotensive syndrome, a condition where the growing uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, reducing blood return to the heart and resulting in decreased cardiac output and hypotension. By turning the woman onto her side, you can alleviate the pressure on the vena cava and restore normal blood flow.

During a prenatal examination at 30 weeks gestation, if a woman suddenly complains of dizziness and feeling faint while lying on her back, the most appropriate response of the nurse would be to turn the woman onto her side. This is because lying on the back can compress the vena cava, a major blood vessel, reducing blood flow to the heart and brain. By turning the woman onto her side, the pressure on the vena cava is relieved, allowing blood flow to properly circulate and reducing symptoms of dizziness and faintness.