During her hospital admission, the laboring patient explicitly refused all pain medications and a labor epidural. Once dilated to 5 cm, the patient complains of intolerable discomfort and asks the nurse, "If I have an epidural, how will you make sure it doesn't hurt my baby?" The best response by the nurse is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This response provides accurate and reassuring information about how the baby will be monitored during and after the epidural is administered. It also acknowledges the patient's concern and provides a specific plan for addressing it. Option B is incorrect because there are potential side effects of epidural anesthesia, although they are generally rare and not typically harmful to the baby. Option C is incorrect because monitoring blood pressure alone is not enough to assess the effects of the epidural on the baby. Option D is incorrect because IV fluids are typically administered before epidural anesthesia as a routine measure to prevent low blood pressure, not to prevent harm to the baby.

During Her Hospital Admission, the Laboring Patient Explicitly Refused All