A nurse is planning care for a pre-term newborn who has a diagnosis of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Which of the following interventions should the nurse include in the plan?

Magnesium sulfate is a drug that is used to prevent seizures associated with pre-eclampsia and to stop preterm labor.However, it can also cause adverse effects such as respiratory depression, which is a condition where the breathing rate becomes too slow and shallow.

Respiratory depression can be life-threatening for both the mother and the baby, so the nurse should monitor the client’s respiratory rate and oxygen saturation closely.

Choice A is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause hypotension, not hypertension.Hypotension is low blood pressure, which can lead to dizziness, fainting, and shock.

Choice B is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause hyporeflexia, not hyperreflexia.Hyporeflexia is a reduced or absent reflex response, which can indicate magnesium toxicity.

The nurse should check the client’s deep tendon reflexes regularly and stop the infusion if they are absent.

Choice D is wrong because magnesium sulfate can cause bradycardia, not tachycardia.

Bradycardia is a slow heart rate, which can reduce the blood flow to vital organs.

Tocolytics are a category of drugs used to delay the labor process.These may be used in situations when a pregnant person begins showing signs of preterm labor —which is any time before 37 weeks of completed pregnancy.Tocolytics may help delay labor by two to seven days.

Some possible explanations for the other choices are:

• Choice A. Administering intravenous fluids.

This is not a correct answer because intravenous fluids are not effective in suppressing uterine contractions.They may be used to correct dehydration or electrolyte imbalance, which can sometimes trigger preterm labor, but they are not a primary intervention for preterm labor.

• Choice C. Administering corticosteroids.

This is not a correct answer because corticosteroids are not tocolytics.They do not stop or slow down uterine contractions, but they help accelerate fetal lung maturity and reduce the risk of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and other complications of prematurity.

Corticosteroids are often given along with tocolytics, but they have a different function and mechanism of action.

• Choice D. Administering antibiotics.

This is not a correct answer because antibiotics are not tocolytics.They may be used to treat infections that can cause or complicate preterm labor, such as chorioamnionitis or group B streptococcus, but they do not directly affect uterine contractions.

Antibiotics may be given along with tocolytics, but they have a different function.