A woman in her 26th week of pregnancy states that she is "not really short of breath" but feels that she is aware of her breathing and the need to breathe.What is the nurse's best reply?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During pregnancy,the woman may develop an increased awareness of the need to breathe.Some women may interpret this as dyspnea,even though structurally nothing is wrong.Estrogen increases relax the chest cage ligaments,causing an increase in transverse diameter.The growing fetus does increase the oxygen demand on the mother's body,but this is met easily by the increasing tidal volume (deeper breathing).Little change occurs in the respiratory rate.

A Woman in Her 26th Week of Pregnancy States That