Pharmacology in Maternal-Newborn Nursing Flashcards
6 cards from real Maternal Newborn Nursing Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pharmacology in Maternal-Newborn Nursing flashcards as text
A patient at 28 weeks gestation is in preterm labor. Betamethasone is ordered. What is the primary purpose of this medication?
Answer: To accelerate fetal lung maturity and surfactant production
Antenatal betamethasone (corticosteroid) given between 24–34 weeks gestation promotes fetal surfactant production, reducing the severity of respiratory distress syndrome after preterm birth.
A patient at 30 weeks gestation in preterm labor receives nifedipine as a tocolytic. Which side effect should the nurse monitor for?
Answer: Hypotension, flushing, and headache
Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker used as a tocolytic, causes vasodilation resulting in hypotension, flushing, and headache as its primary side effects.
A postpartum patient is receiving oxytocin (Pitocin) IV for uterine atony. Which adverse effect is specific to high-dose oxytocin administration?
Answer: Water intoxication and hyponatremia
Oxytocin has antidiuretic properties similar to ADH; at high doses or with large fluid volumes, it can cause water retention leading to hyponatremia and water intoxication.
A Rh-negative mother delivers an Rh-positive baby. Rho(D) immune globulin (RhoGAM) is ordered. Within what time frame should it be administered?
Answer: Within 72 hours of delivery
RhoGAM must be administered within 72 hours of delivery to prevent Rh sensitization in Rh-negative mothers; it works by clearing fetal Rh-positive cells before they trigger maternal antibody production.
A newborn requires resuscitation in the delivery room. Epinephrine is administered via the endotracheal tube. What is the correct dose range?
Answer: 0.01–0.03 mg/kg of 1:10,000 concentration via IV/IO (0.05–0.1 mg/kg via ETT)
Per NRP guidelines, IV/IO epinephrine dose is 0.01–0.03 mg/kg of 1:10,000 solution; the endotracheal dose is higher (0.05–0.1 mg/kg) due to less reliable absorption.
A breastfeeding mother is prescribed codeine for postpartum pain. Why is this medication of particular concern for her breastfed infant?
Answer: Ultra-rapid metabolizers convert codeine to morphine at higher rates, risking neonatal opioid toxicity
Ultra-rapid CYP2D6 metabolizers convert codeine to morphine faster than normal, leading to dangerously high morphine levels in breast milk that can cause neonatal respiratory depression.