The nurse places a Toco (tocodynamometer) on a client admitted in early labor.

The nurse explains to the client that this device provides an accurate assessment of which of the following:

Choice A rationale
Valsalva maneuver involves forced expiration against a closed airway, increasing intrathoracic pressure and used to aid in expelling the fetus during labor.
Choice B rationale
Ferguson’s reflex involves the release of oxytocin due to vaginal and cervical stretching, resulting in stronger contractions during the second stage of labor.
Choice C rationale
Lightening refers to the descent of the fetus into the pelvis before labor, relieving pressure on the diaphragm and easing breathing.
Choice D rationale
Molding is the slight overlapping of cranial bones, allowing the fetal head to shape and fit through the birth canal during labor.

Choice A rationale
Placental uterine insufficiency causes late decelerations, not early decelerations. Late decelerations indicate decreased placental perfusion and inadequate fetal oxygenation.
Choice B rationale
Umbilical cord compression leads to variable decelerations, characterized by abrupt decreases in fetal heart rate. Early decelerations are unrelated to cord compression.
Choice C rationale
Early decelerations are caused by head compression during contractions. This reflex response results in vagal stimulation and a uniform, gradual decrease in fetal heart rate, mirroring contractions.
Choice D rationale
Spontaneous rupture of membranes can influence labor progress but does not cause early decelerations. Early decelerations are primarily associated with head compression during contractions.