A pregnant patient asks the nurse about the safe use of medications during the third trimester. What will the nurse tell her about drugs taken at this stage?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the third trimester, drugs excreted by the kidneys may have to be increased, because renal blood flow is doubled, the glomerular filtration rate is increased, and drug clearance is accelerated. Hepatic metabolism increases, meaning that drugs metabolized by the liver must be increased. All drugs can cross the placenta. Anatomic defects are more likely to occur in the embryonic period, which is in weeks 3 through 8 in the first trimester.

A Pregnant Patient Asks the Nurse About the Safe Use