A nurse in a prenatal clinic is conducting a skin assessment of a patient in her second trimester.
Which findings should the nurse anticipate? (Select all that apply.)

The correct answer is choice a. Excessive uterine enlargement.

Choice A rationale:

Hydatidiform mole, also known as a molar pregnancy, often presents with excessive uterine enlargement. This is due to the abnormal growth of trophoblastic tissue, which can cause the uterus to be larger than expected for gestational age.

Choice B rationale:

An irregular fetal heart rate is not typically associated with a hydatidiform mole because there is usually no viable fetus present in this condition.

Choice C rationale:

A rapid decline in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels is not expected. Instead, hCG levels are usually abnormally high due to the trophoblastic tissue proliferation.

Choice D rationale:

Profuse, clear vaginal discharge is not a characteristic finding of a hydatidiform mole. Instead, vaginal bleeding or discharge that may be brownish and resemble prune juice is more common.

Choice A rationale

Vitamin E is an important nutrient during pregnancy as it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage. However, its requirements do not decline during pregnancy due to an increase in body fat.

Choice B rationale

While iron is an important nutrient during pregnancy, it’s not necessary to double your intake. Iron needs do increase during pregnancy because it’s needed to make more blood to supply oxygen to the baby. However, this should be managed under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

Choice C rationale

While it’s true that calcium intake should be increased during breastfeeding, this is not specifically related to nutrition during pregnancy. During pregnancy, adequate calcium intake is important for the development of the baby’s bones and teeth.

Choice D rationale

Prenatal vitamins are designed to meet the increased nutritional needs of pregnancy, and they include a variety of vitamins and minerals. One of these is vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium and is important for the baby’s bone growth. Therefore, taking prenatal vitamins can indeed help to meet the need for increased vitamin D during pregnancy.