The student nurse learns that the process in which bilirubin is changed from a fat-soluble product to a water-soluble product is known as:

Choice A rationale

Wrapping the baby in warmed blankets addresses heat loss through conduction (direct contact with a cooler surface) and radiation (heat transfer to cooler surroundings). While helpful for maintaining warmth, it does not directly prevent heat loss from convection.

Choice B rationale

Convection is the loss of heat to cooler air currents moving across the skin surface. A blowing fan increases the rate of convective heat loss by continuously moving cooler air over the newborn. Moving the infant away from a blowing fan minimizes this heat transfer mechanism, thus preventing heat loss from convection.

Choice C rationale

Drying the baby after a bath primarily prevents heat loss through evaporation, as the evaporation of water from the skin surface cools the body. While important for thermoregulation, it does not directly address convective heat loss.

Choice D rationale

Placing the baby in a warmer, such as a radiant warmer, primarily prevents heat loss through radiation by providing a warm surface that emits infrared heat towards the infant. It also helps maintain the ambient air temperature, indirectly reducing convective heat loss, but moving away from a direct air current is the most direct way to prevent convection.

Choice A rationale

Oral contraceptives primarily work by inhibiting ovulation through hormonal regulation. They do not inherently increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In some cases, they may even offer a protective effect against PID by thickening cervical mucus, which can act as a barrier to ascending infections.

Choice B rationale

Frequent alcohol use can impair the immune system, potentially making an individual more susceptible to infections. However, it is not a direct cause of PID. PID is primarily caused by ascending infections, often sexually transmitted infections, rather than the direct effects of alcohol consumption.

Choice C rationale

Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted bacterium and a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease. Untreated chlamydia infections can ascend from the cervix and uterus to the fallopian tubes and ovaries, leading to inflammation, scarring, and potentially long-term complications such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

Choice D rationale

Recurrent cystitis, an infection of the bladder, primarily affects the lower urinary tract. While urinary tract infections are common in women, they do not typically ascend to the reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. PID involves infection of the upper genital tract, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.