A woman who is 8 weeks' pregnant is visiting the clinic for a checkup. Her systolic blood pressure is 30 mm Hg higher than her prepregnancy systolic blood pressure. How should the nurse proceed?

A) Consider this a normal finding.
B) Expect the blood pressure to decrease as the estrogen levels increase throughout the pregnancy.
C) Consider this an abnormal finding because blood pressure is typically lower at this point in the pregnancy.
D) Recommend that the patient decreases her salt intake in an attempt to decrease her peripheral vascular resistance.

Question

Brooke Lederer · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  During the seventh gestational week, blood pressure begins to drop as a result of falling peripheral vascular resistance. Early in the first trimester, blood pressure values are similar to those of prepregnancy measurements. In this case, the woman's blood pressure is higher than it should be.

Definitions

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Related questions