A client who is 8 weeks pregnant tells a nurse midwife that she has a strange craving for laundry starch. The client says, "I think I am losing my mind, but I need to tell someone about this odd behavior." Which of the following interventions is the most appropriate for the client?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most appropriate intervention is to initiate iron supplementation. The client is demonstrating pica, an abnormal craving for nonfood substances. Pica is a symptom that is often seen in pregnant women who are deficient in iron. Encouraging the client to stop eating laundry starch may not be effective because it is usually a habit that results from a physiologic need. The attitude that cravings are an indirect way of calling attention to a pregnancy is out of date; recent research shows that cravings are the result of physiological needs

A Client Who Is 8 Weeks Pregnant Tells a Nurse