A patient at 24 week' gestation reports to the clinic nurse that she is tired all the time. What is the nurse's best response?
A) "Everyone has chronic anemia at this time in pregnancy."
B) "I'll make sure your health care provider is informed of your concern."
C) "Your urine is clean of protein and sugar. You are doing well at this time."
D) "Make sure you are drinking enough fluid to keep up with the demands of your body."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is experiencing classic signs of physiologic anemia, or an increase in the amount of plasma resulting in a dilution of circulating red blood cells (RBCs). Red blood cell production will continue to increase throughout pregnancy, with a resulting resolution in physiologic anemia. The health care provider will likely order a complete blood count to verify this. The anemia is physiologic and not chronic because there is no decrease in circulating RBCs. The absence of proteinuria and glucosuria is reassuring, but these findings are not correlated with fatigue. Adequate fluid volume intake is essential in pregnancy but is not responsible for the development of physiologic anemia or the corresponding fatigue.

A Patient at 24 Week' Gestation Reports to the Clinic