The perinatal nurse is assessing a woman at 36 weeks' gestation.Her fundal height measurement was last recorded at 34 cm.The patient's abdomen appears to be widest from side to side.The nurse suspects the possibility of which type of fetal presentation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fetal presentation may be cephalic,breech,or shoulder.The part of the fetal body first felt by the examining finger during a vaginal examination is the "presenting part." The shoulder presentation is a transverse lie.This presentation is rare and occurs in less than 1% of births.When a transverse lie is present,the maternal abdomen appears large from side to side rather than up and down.The fetal head is palpated on one maternal side and the breech is palpated on the other side.Additionally,the woman may demonstrate a lower-than-expected fundal height measurement for gestational age.

The Perinatal Nurse Is Assessing a Woman at 36 Weeks