A client who is pregnant with her first child has been laboring for 14 hours with very minimal progress. Cervical dilatation and effacement are slow, and the nurse is unable to verify engagement of the presenting fetal part. What condition should the nurse suspect may be affecting the client's labor?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the client's slow cervical dilatation and effacement and lack of engagement of the presenting fetal part, the nurse should suspect that cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) may be affecting the client's labor. This refers to a situation where the size of the fetal head or presentation is too large to pass through the mother's pelvis. This can lead to prolonged labor and may necessitate interventions such as cesarean section. Prolapsed cord and placenta accreta are both serious complications that can occur during labor but would present differently than CPD. Occiput anterior (OA) fetal position refers to the position of the baby's head and while it can impact labor, it would not cause slow cervical dilatation and effacement or lack of engagement.

A Client Who Is Pregnant with Her First Child Has