When a Woman Is Admitted to the Labor and Delivery

question 21

Multiple Choice

When a woman is admitted to the labor and delivery unit, she tells the nurse that she is anxious about delivery, anxious about the welfare of her baby, anxious about how quickly she will recover…in short, anxious about everything. The nurse is aware that anxiety can affect labor by:

• A) Decreasing a woman's pain sensitivity
• B) Reducing blood flow to the uterus
• C) Increasing the ability to tolerate pain
• D) Enhancing maternal pushing through greater muscle tension

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Definitions:

Secular Trend

A pattern in which the average age of puberty in developed countries declines across decades.

Growth Hormone

A protein hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and regeneration in humans and other animals.

Hypothalamus

A region of the brain that regulates many bodily functions, including hunger, thirst, temperature, and the release of hormones.

Pituitary

A small gland at the base of the brain that regulates growth, metabolism, and the function of other glands in the endocrine system.