A Patient Is Admitted to the Obstetric Unit in Preterm

question 6

Multiple Choice

A patient is admitted to the obstetric unit in preterm labor at 36 weeks' gestation. The prescriber orders a tocolytic agent. When teaching the patient about this medication, the nurse will tell her that tocolytics:

• A) are given until term to reduce fetal mortality.
• B) are used to help the fetal lungs mature.
• C) help delay delivery while glucocorticoids are given.
• D) help treat the infections that cause preterm labor.

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Definitions:

Genetic Variation

Variability in the genetic makeup among individuals within a population, which is essential for natural selection and evolution.

Subpopulations

Distinct groups within a larger population that may differ genetically and/or behaviorally, often due to geographical, ecological, or social barriers.

Molecular Clock

A technique in molecular evolution that uses mutation rates of biomolecules to deduce the time in prehistory when two or more life forms diverged.

Base Pair Substitutions

Mutations that occur when one nucleotide base pair is replaced by another pair, which can lead to changes in the protein produced.