The mother of a baby born with a congenital heart defect is upset, as no one else in the family has been born with this condition. To determine the cause of the defect, which question is appropriate for the nurse to ask the mother?
A)"Did you consume any alcohol before you knew you were pregnant?"
B)"Is there a history of diabetes in your family?"
C)"Was the baby's father exposed to any toxins in the work environment?"
D)"Do you have a history of hypertension?"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A)Most congenital heart defects occur during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy and are a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the greatest factors for the development of these defects. Asking the mother if she consumed alcohol before she was aware that she was pregnant is an appropriate question when determining the cause of the heart defect. A history of hypertension will not cause a fetus to develop a congenital heart defect. The father's exposure to toxins in the work environment is not known to cause congenital heart defects of children. Maternal diabetes can impair fetal heart development, but a family history of diabetes is not known to cause congenital heart defects.
B)Most congenital heart defects occur during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy and are a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the greatest factors for the development of these defects. Asking the mother if she consumed alcohol before she was aware that she was pregnant is an appropriate question when determining the cause of the heart defect. A history of hypertension will not cause a fetus to develop a congenital heart defect. The father's exposure to toxins in the work environment is not known to cause congenital heart defects of children. Maternal diabetes can impair fetal heart development, but a family history of diabetes is not known to cause congenital heart defects.
C)Most congenital heart defects occur during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy and are a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the greatest factors for the development of these defects. Asking the mother if she consumed alcohol before she was aware that she was pregnant is an appropriate question when determining the cause of the heart defect. A history of hypertension will not cause a fetus to develop a congenital heart defect. The father's exposure to toxins in the work environment is not known to cause congenital heart defects of children. Maternal diabetes can impair fetal heart development, but a family history of diabetes is not known to cause congenital heart defects.
D)Most congenital heart defects occur during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy and are a combination of environmental and genetic factors. Fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the greatest factors for the development of these defects. Asking the mother if she consumed alcohol before she was aware that she was pregnant is an appropriate question when determining the cause of the heart defect. A history of hypertension will not cause a fetus to develop a congenital heart defect. The father's exposure to toxins in the work environment is not known to cause congenital heart defects of children. Maternal diabetes can impair fetal heart development, but a family history of diabetes is not known to cause congenital heart defects.

The Mother of a Baby Born with a Congenital Heart