Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 94%
Practice
A woman in her second trimester of pregnancy mentions that since becoming pregnant she has had"more nosebleeds than ever." The nurse recognizes that this is due to:
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The correct answer is B: increased vascularity in the upper respiratory tract as a result of the pregnancy. During pregnancy, hormonal changes lead to increased blood flow in the body, including the nasal passages, causing them to become more sensitive and prone to bleeding. This explains why the woman is experiencing more nosebleeds.
Incorrect Choices:
A: coagulation problems in the patient - This is incorrect as pregnancy is associated with hypercoagulability rather than coagulation problems.
C: increased susceptibility to colds and nasal irritation - While pregnancy can lower immunity, this does not directly cause nosebleeds.
D: inappropriate use of nasal sprays - This is not relevant to the situation described and does not explain the increased nosebleeds due to pregnancy.
Incorrect Choices:
A: coagulation problems in the patient - This is incorrect as pregnancy is associated with hypercoagulability rather than coagulation problems.
C: increased susceptibility to colds and nasal irritation - While pregnancy can lower immunity, this does not directly cause nosebleeds.
D: inappropriate use of nasal sprays - This is not relevant to the situation described and does not explain the increased nosebleeds due to pregnancy.