A nurse is assisting with the preparation of an educational program on physiological changes during labor. Which of the following smooth muscle adaptations should the nurse identify as being responsible for facilitating cervical dilation and promoting descent of the fetus into the client pelvis and vaginal canal?
Relaxation of the uterus smooth muscle
Constriction of cervical smooth muscle
Stretching of the pelvic smooth muscle
Contraction of the vaginal smooth muscle
The Correct Answer is C
A. Relaxation of the uterine smooth muscle would decrease the force of contractions, which could slow labor rather than facilitate cervical dilation. Strong, coordinated uterine contractions are required to push the fetus downward.
B. Constriction of the cervical smooth muscle would prevent dilation, impeding the fetus’s passage through the birth canal. Cervical relaxation and thinning (effacement) are essential for labor progression.
C. Stretching of the pelvic smooth muscle allows the cervix to dilate and the fetus to descend into the pelvis and vaginal canal. This adaptation accommodates the fetal head and body, promoting safe and effective labor.
D. Contraction of the vaginal smooth muscle does not facilitate fetal descent; instead, relaxation of vaginal and perineal tissues is necessary to allow passage of the fetus. Vaginal tone increases resistance, so coordinated stretching is more important than contraction.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Women have all of their ova at birth. Oogenesis, the process of egg development, occurs in the fetus, and women are born with all the eggs (ova) they will ever have. The number of eggs decreases over time.
B. Women make fewer ova as they age is correct in a sense, but the statement is misleading because the number of eggs actually decreases after birth, not through an ongoing process of "making fewer."
C. Ova production begins at birth and continues until puberty is incorrect. Ova are formed during fetal development, but no new eggs are produced after birth.
D. New ova are made every month from puberty to climacteric is incorrect. While ova mature and are released monthly during a woman's reproductive years, they are not newly made each month. The ovary contains a finite number of immature eggs at birth.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Blood pressure typically decreases slightly during the second trimester due to hormonal effects causing vasodilation, and it generally does not rise above pre-pregnancy levels in healthy pregnancies.
B. The heart rate increases by about 10 to 15 beats per minute to meet the increased oxygen demands of the growing fetus and placenta.
C. Blood viscosity does not increase during pregnancy; rather, the plasma volume expands significantly, leading to hemodilution and a decrease in blood viscosity.
D. Cardiac workload increases during pregnancy due to the expanded blood volume and increased cardiac output required to support maternal and fetal needs.
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