A nurse is providing education to a pregnant woman who has gestational diabetes.

The nurse should explain that the woman has a higher risk of developing which of the following conditions in the future?

The correct answer is choice A. Sublingual.

The nurse should use the sublingual route to administer the glucose, which means placing the glucose under the tongue of the woman.This route allows for faster absorption of glucose into the bloodstream than the oral route, which involves swallowing the glucose.This is especially important for a pregnant woman with gestational diabetes and hyperglycemia, who needs to lower her blood sugar levels quickly to avoid complications for herself and her baby.

Choice B. Buccal is wrong because it means placing the glucose inside the cheek against the buccal mucosa.This route has been shown to result in a lower plasma glucose concentration than the oral route, which is not desirable for a woman with hyperglycemia.

Choice C. Oropharyngeal is wrong because it means placing the glucose in the back of the mouth near the throat.This route is not recommended for glucose administration because it can cause choking or aspiration.

Choice D. Nasogastric is wrong because it means inserting a tube through the nose into the stomach and delivering the glucose through the tube.This route is invasive and unnecessary for glucose administration, unless the woman is unable to take glucose by mouth.

Normal ranges for blood glucose levels during pregnancy are 3.5 to 5.9 mmol/l before meals and less than 7.8 mmol/l one hour after meals.

The correct answer is choice D. Birth weight.

The nurse should measure the birth weight of the newborn to determine if the newborn has macrosomia.Macrosomia is a condition in which a baby has a weight of more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth.It is commonly caused by medical conditions, such as obesity or diabetes, of the mother during pregnancy.

Choice A is wrong because head circumference is not a reliable indicator of macrosomia.Some babies may have a large head circumference due to genetic factors or hydrocephalus, but not necessarily due to macrosomia.

Choice B is wrong because chest circumference is not a reliable indicator of macrosomia.Some babies may have a large chest circumference due to genetic factors or congenital heart defects, but not necessarily due to macrosomia.

Choice C is wrong because abdominal circumference is not a reliable indicator of macrosomia.Some babies may have a large abdominal circumference due to genetic factors or abdominal wall defects, but not necessarily due to macrosomia.