A patient with heart disease who is 28 weeks pregnant asks the nurse why office appointments have been scheduled every week for the next 4 weeks. What should the nurse respond to the patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The danger of pregnancy in a patient with heart disease occurs primarily because of this increase in circulatory volume. The most dangerous time for the patient is in weeks 28 to 32, just after the blood volume peaks. Weekly appointments are not routine for all pregnant patients at this part of the pregnancy. This is not the time when most patients have a risk of going into early labor. The extra appointments are not needed to make sure the fetus is developing normally during this time period.

A Patient with Heart Disease Who Is 28 Weeks Pregnant