A nurse is caring for a newborn whose mother is positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen.Which of the following should the infant receive?

Choice A rationale

Administering betamethasone 12 mg IM helps accelerate fetal lung maturity by stimulating the production of surfactant. This is crucial for a preterm baby, as immature lungs are one of the biggest risks in preterm labor. Administering betamethasone can significantly improve neonatal outcomes by reducing respiratory distress syndrome and other complications related to prematurity.

Choice B rationale

Preparing the client for immediate delivery is not the first action as the primary goal in managing preterm labor with an L/S ratio of 1: is to delay labor and enhance fetal lung maturity. Betamethasone administration is prioritized to maximize fetal lung development before considering delivery.

Choice C rationale

Administering hydralazine 25 mg IV is used to manage hypertension and is unrelated to enhancing fetal lung maturity in preterm labor. It is not indicated in this situation as the primary concern is not managing blood pressure.

Choice D rationale

Infusing a bolus of IV fluid might be used to manage preterm labor but does not directly address the need to improve fetal lung maturity. The main priority is administering steroids like betamethasone to expedite fetal lung development.

Choice A rationale

50% of the offspring have a chance of developing the disease from the affected parent. Autosomal dominant inheritance means that a single copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. Thus, each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.

Choice B rationale

Diseases transmitted from a carrier mother to her son typically describe X-linked recessive inheritance, not autosomal dominant. In autosomal dominant conditions, both males and females can be affected, and it doesn't depend on the sex of the parent transmitting the gene.

Choice C rationale

All of the offspring will develop the disease is incorrect. In autosomal dominant inheritance, there is a 50% chance of passing the altered gene to the offspring, not 100%.

Choice D rationale

50% of the offspring will be carriers of the disease from the affected parent is incorrect for autosomal dominant inheritance. There are no "carriers" in autosomal dominant diseases; individuals either have the disease or they don't, based on whether they inherit the altered gene.