Maternity, newborn, and women’s health nursing is a unique nursing field focusing on women’s care all over their reproduction time. This nursing field demands a thorough comprehension of the specific physical, emotional, and social requirements for women and infants. Nurses working in the area must provide sympathetic care to women during labor and delivery, handle any complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and the nurse should provide education and support to new mothers (Erfina et al., 2019). Nurses in this area play a significant role as they promote the health of women by averting illness through education and preventive care. This essay aims to explore a case study on Jessica and Mike, who are new clients in an obstetrics office and suspect that Jessica might be pregnant. From the case study, the essay will explore the subjective symptoms that have led Jessica and Mike to presume she is pregnant, other conditions that could cause Jessica’s symptoms, how to confirm pregnancy as probable, and the nutritional needs of Jessica and her baby.
Mike and Jessica have perceived various subjective symptoms leading them to suppose that Jessica is pregnant. In the case study, Jessica explained that she has been missing her period, which clearly indicates pregnancy. Jessica also explained that she is experiencing morning sickness, a common early symptom of pregnancy usually characterized by nausea and vomiting in the morning (Mares et al., 2022), and also Mike the husband to Jessica explains that her wife has an increased appetite and frequent urination at night, which occurs during pregnancy due to changes in hormones in the body, and they could indicate that Jessica is pregnant. Jessica is also experiencing early weight gain, as she explained that her clothes are getting tighter, indicating pregnancy symptoms (Hutcheon & Bodnar, 2018). The husband also highlighted that his wife’s breasts are tender, indicating signs of early pregnancy as the body prepares for breastfeeding. These personal signs explained by Mike and Jessica provide a firm conclusion that Jessica might be pregnant.
Similar symptoms as various medical conditions can cause those explained by Jessica in the case study. This may include some medication that she may be taking, stress, hormonal imbalance, thyroid disorders, and weight alteration may be the cause of why Jessica missed her periods, her breast being tender, frequent urination at night, and nausea (Sadeghi et al., 2022). The presence of infection or inflammation in the reproductive system or the urinary tract can lead to such symptoms. The case study indicated the history of Jessica and Mike not using birth control as they needed conceiving, she is likely pregnant. A healthcare provider needs to conduct a pregnancy test and perform a thorough medical evaluation to prove any other potential cause ensuring the health of the mother and the baby. Healthcare providers need to comprehend such conditions having similar symptoms to that of pregnancy for their patient satisfaction.
Confirming if pregnancy is possible various ways can be taken, which include home pregnancy test, blood test, and urine test. Home pregnancy tests discern the existence of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine extracted by the placenta after the implantation of a fertilized in the womb (Lee et al., 2022). Home pregnancy is error-free and can be performed as early as a few days after missing periods. The most accurate method to confirm pregnancy is a blood test because it detects low levels of human chorionic hormone and can be performed seven to ten days after conception (Ngo et al., 2018). Clinical urine tests are almost the same as home pregnancy tests, but they are more sensitive to detecting pregnancy earlier. In cases of complications or concerns about the pregnancy, healthcare providers are supposed to perform a pelvic exam and ultrasound when confirming pregnancy.
Jessica being pregnant, must maintain a balanced nutritious diet to improve the growth and development of her unborn baby. Jessica should take various foods that provide her with crucial nutrients such as calcium, iron, protein, and folic. Calcium is needed to develop the baby’s bones and teeth, while folic acid is vital during the early stages of pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects in the baby (Roche et al., 2021). Jessica should also take adequate iron as it is crucial to support blood production during pregnancy and proteins for the growth of tissues for the baby. Pl
Order this paper