A woman attends a prenatal visit and is told to start taking a folic acid supplement.

The Nurse Practitioner explains that this is to prevent:

Choice A rationale
Occasional accelerations in fetal heart rate are generally reassuring, indicating fetal well-being and a positive response to movement or contractions.
Choice B rationale
Minimal or absent baseline variability is concerning because it can signal fetal hypoxia or central nervous system depression, indicating potential compromise in fetal oxygenation and well-being.
Choice C rationale
Early decelerations typically coincide with contractions and are often benign, resulting from fetal head compression that momentarily decreases heart rate but does not indicate distress.
Choice D rationale
A fetal heart baseline of 160 beats per minute is within the normal range (110-160 bpm), signifying an adequate fetal heart rate and not indicating immediate concern for the nurse.

Choice A rationale
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is not typically associated with perineal sepsis; rather, it is a bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.
Choice B rationale
While GBS colonization can pose risks, chorioamnionitis is a different infection involving the membranes and amniotic fluid, often caused by a variety of microorganisms, not solely GBS.
Choice C rationale
GBS is not primarily sexually transmitted; it is a bacterium naturally present in the genital and digestive tracts, and colonization can occur without sexual contact.
Choice D rationale
Neonatal sepsis is a serious risk for babies born to mothers colonized with GBS, necessitating antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent transmission and subsequent infection in the newborn.