Antepartum
This vitamin is recommended before conception and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects.
What is folic acid?
Teaching pearl: Higher doses may be prescribed for clients with specific risk factors or a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect.
This medication is administered to prevent seizures in a client with severe preeclampsia.
What is magnesium sulfate?
Teaching pearl: Magnesium is not primarily administered to lower blood pressure.
This medication stimulates uterine contractions and may be used for labor induction or augmentation.
What is oxytocin or Pitocin?
Teaching pearl: Oxytocin is administered using an infusion pump and requires fetal and contraction monitoring.
This is usually the first-line uterotonic medication for uterine atony.
What is oxytocin?
Teaching pearl: Evaluate for a firm fundus, decreased bleeding, and stable vital signs.
This analgesic is commonly used for postpartum uterine cramping and perineal discomfort because it also reduces inflammation.
What is ibuprofen?
Teaching pearl: Assess for allergy, renal disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other contraindications.
This injection is administered after birth to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
What is vitamin K or phytonadione?
Teaching pearl: Newborns have limited vitamin K stores and immature intestinal flora.
This vaccine helps prevent infection with high-risk HPV types associated with cervical and other cancers.
What is the HPV vaccine?
Teaching pearl: The vaccine prevents new HPV infections; it does not treat an existing infection.
This medication is administered during pregnancy and after an Rh-positive birth to prevent an unsensitized Rh-negative client from producing Rh antibodies.
What is Rho(D) immune globulin or RhoGAM?
Teaching pearl: It prevents sensitization; it does not treat a client who is already sensitized.
This is the antidote for magnesium sulfate toxicity.
What is calcium gluconate?
Teaching pearl: Stop magnesium and notify the provider for respiratory depression, absent reflexes, or oliguria.
The nurse should stop oxytocin when this complication develops—more than five contractions in 10 minutes averaged over 30 minutes.
What is uterine tachysystole?
Teaching pearl: Stop oxytocin for tachysystole, recurrent late decelerations, or other concerning fetal responses.
This uterotonic should be avoided in clients with hypertension or preeclampsia.
What is methylergonovine or Methergine?
Teaching pearl: Check the client’s blood pressure before administration.
This antibiotic is commonly used to treat lactational mastitis caused by susceptible bacteria.
What is dicloxacillin or cephalexin?
Teaching pearl: The client should complete the prescribed course and continue breast emptying unless otherwise instructed.
This ophthalmic medication prevents gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum.
What is erythromycin ophthalmic ointment?
Teaching pearl: It does not treat congenital syphilis or reliably prevent all causes of neonatal conjunc
This medication may be used to treat uncomplicated chlamydia infection during pregnancy.
What is azithromycin?
Teaching pearl: Partner treatment, temporary abstinence, and recommended retesting help prevent reinfection.
This corticosteroid may be administered during threatened preterm birth to accelerate fetal lung maturity.
What is betamethasone?
Teaching pearl: Monitor maternal glucose, especially in clients with diabetes.
This antihypertensive may be administered IV for acute severe hypertension during pregnancy.
What is labetalol?
Teaching pearl: Monitor blood pressure and heart rate. Use caution with asthma, bradycardia, or heart block.
This prostaglandin medication may be used for cervical ripening before labor induction.
What is dinoprostone?
Teaching pearl: Monitor uterine activity and fetal status. A vaginal insert can be removed if tachysystole develops.
This prostaglandin uterotonic should be avoided in clients with asthma because it can cause bronchospasm.
What is carboprost or Hemabate?
Teaching pearl: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever may occur.
This anticoagulant is commonly used during pregnancy because it does not cross the placenta.
What is heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin?
Teaching pearl: Monitor for bleeding and follow timing requirements around neuraxial anesthesia.
This vaccine is routinely offered to newborns to begin protection against an infection that can cause chronic liver disease.
What is the hepatitis B vaccine?
Teaching pearl: Infants born to hepatitis B–positive mothers need both the vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin according to protocol.
This cephalosporin is administered intramuscularly for uncomplicated gonorrhea.
What is ceftriaxone?
Teaching pearl: Additional treatment may be needed if chlamydia has not been excluded.
This medication is commonly preferred for managing gestational diabetes when nutrition and activity are insufficient because it does not cross the placenta in clinically significant amounts.
What is insulin?
Teaching pearl: Insulin needs may change throughout pregnancy and usually decrease quickly after delivery.
This calcium-channel blocker may be used to treat hypertension or temporarily suppress preterm contractions.
What is nifedipine?
Teaching pearl: Monitor for hypotension, dizziness, headache, and reflex tachycardia.
This prostaglandin medication may be used for cervical ripening, induction, and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.
What is misoprostol?
Teaching pearl: The route and dose depend on the indication.
This antifibrinolytic medication helps stabilize blood clots and may reduce death from postpartum hemorrhage when administered promptly.
What is tranexamic acid or TXA?
Teaching pearl: TXA supports clot stability; it does not cause the uterus to contract.
This injectable contraceptive is administered approximately every three months and can cause irregular bleeding, weight gain, and decreased bone density.
What is medroxyprogesterone acetate or Depo-Provera?
Teaching pearl: Return injections must be received on schedule for continued effectiveness.
This medication may be administered to a symptomatic newborn with severe hypoglycemia or a newborn unable to feed effectively.
What is IV dextrose?
Teaching pearl: Monitor glucose closely and reassess neurologic status, feeding, and temperature.
This medication is commonly used to treat trichomoniasis and requires partner treatment.
What is metronidazole?
Teaching pearl: The client should follow instructions regarding sexual activity and partner treatment to prevent reinfection.
This medication may be administered before an anticipated early preterm birth to help reduce the newborn’s risk of cerebral palsy.
What is magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection?
Teaching pearl: Magnesium sulfate may also be used for seizure prevention in preeclampsia, but the purpose and dosing protocol differ.
This beta-adrenergic medication may temporarily relax the uterus but can cause maternal tachycardia, tremors, and hyperglycemia.
What is terbutaline?
Teaching pearl: Assess the maternal pulse before administration and follow hold parameters.
This medication is commonly administered before epidural or spinal anesthesia to reduce aspiration risk by neutralizing gastric acid.
What is sodium citrate?
Teaching pearl: After neuraxial anesthesia, monitor maternal blood pressure and fetal status for complications related to maternal hypotension.
A postpartum client with uterine atony has hypertension and asthma. This prostaglandin may be used because methylergonovine and carboprost may be inappropriate.
What is misoprostol?
Teaching pearl: Medication selection depends on contraindications, the cause of bleeding, provider orders, and the hemorrhage protocol.
Combined estrogen–progestin contraceptives are generally avoided in clients with this history because estrogen increases thromboembolic risk.
What is a history of DVT, pulmonary embolism, or another major thrombotic risk?
Teaching pearl: Estrogen-containing methods also require careful evaluation in clients who smoke and are older than 35 or have certain migraines and cardiovascular risks.
This medication may be used to promote closure of a clinically significant patent ductus arteriosus in a preterm newborn.
What is indomethacin or ibuprofen?
Teaching pearl: Monitor renal function, urine output, platelet status, bleeding, and gastrointestinal complications.
This medication class may reduce hot flashes and vaginal symptoms but requires an individualized evaluation of cardiovascular, thrombotic, breast, and uterine risks.
What is menopausal hormone therapy?
Teaching pearl: A client with an intact uterus generally requires endometrial protection with a progestogen when systemic estrogen is prescribed.