A nurse is assessing a client for pre-term labor.

Which of the following assessments should the nurse prioritize?

Administering corticosteroids.Corticosteroids are drugs that can speed up the development of the baby’s lungs and reduce the risk of respiratory distress syndrome and other complications of preterm birth.They are usually given to pregnant women who are at risk of preterm delivery between 24 0/7 weeks and 33 6/7 weeks of gestation.

Choice A is wrong because administering intravenous fluids does not enhance fetal lung maturity.

It may be used to treat dehydration or prevent hypotension, but it has no effect on the baby’s lungs.

Choice B is wrong because administering tocolytics does not enhance fetal lung maturity.

Tocolytics are drugs that can delay preterm labor for a short time, but they do not improve the baby’s lung function.

Choice D is wrong because providing emotional support does not enhance fetal lung maturity.

It may help the mother cope with stress and anxiety, but it does not affect the baby’s lungs.

Fetal lung maturity is the condition of the baby’s lungs being able to breathe normally after birth.It involves several developmental processes, such as the formation of alveoli, bronchi, and surfactant.

Fetal lungs are usually mature by 36 weeks of gestation, but some babies may need steroids to speed up lung development if they are at risk of preterm birth.

Hypoglycemia due to low glycogen stores.

Premature newborns have low glycogen stores and are at risk of developing hypoglycemia, which can cause seizures, brain damage, or death.

The nurse should monitor the blood glucose levels of the newborn and report any signs of hypoglycemia, such as jitteriness, lethargy, poor feeding, or temperature instability.

Choice A is wrong because increased bilirubin levels, not decreased, are a potential complication of prematurity.

Bilirubin is a waste product of red blood cell breakdown that can accumulate in the blood and cause jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Premature newborns have immature livers that cannot process bilirubin effectively and may need phototherapy to reduce the levels.

Choice B is wrong because decreased fat stores, not increased, are a potential complication of prematurity.

Fat stores provide insulation and energy for the newborn and help maintain body temperature.

Premature newborns have less subcutaneous fat and are prone to heat loss and cold stress, which can affect their metabolism and oxygen consumption.

Choice D is wrong because absence of mature lung surfactant, not presence, is a potential complication of prematurity.

Surfactant is a substance that reduces the surface tension of the alveoli and prevents them from collapsing during expiration.

Premature newborns have insufficient surfactant production and may develop respiratory distress syndrome, which is characterized by tachypnea, grunting, retractions, and cyanosis.