Zoey arrived at the hospital in labor with contractions only a few minutes apart
ID: 264234 • Letter: Z
Question
Zoey arrived at the hospital in labor with contractions only a few minutes apart. She was a little nervous, but was coping well with the discomfort of the contractions. From the start, she had prepared as best as she could for pregnancy and labor. Zoey had talked with her doctor before even becoming pregnant and had made adjustments to try to create a healthy environment for her baby. She took special vitamin supplements, ate a healthy assortment of foods, and stayed away from alcohol and cigarettes. While Zoey maintained those good habits throughout her pregnancy, she remembered her doctor said those steps were especially important during her first trimester, as that was a critical time of development for her baby. Now that the time to have her baby had arrived, Zoey was very happy she had done everything she could to keep her baby healthy. It was only a matter of time before her baby would be in her arms! Unfortunately, although her baby seemed to be handling labor quite well, the doctor found that Zoey was not progressing as she had hoped. Zoey had been laboring for many hours but did not appear to be getting any closer to delivering her baby. The doctor decided to give her a drug called Pitocin. She explained that Pitocin is a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin, and it could help her labor move forward more quickly. Thankfully, the Pitocin was helpful in Zoey’s case, and her labor progressed rapidly after the drug was administered. Soon, she felt a gush of water, and the doctor found that she was ready to deliver. Now Zoey pushed with her contractions and, after another hour, the doctor delivered a healthy boy. Though exhausted, Zoey was in awe that she could finally hold her baby.
Questions 1. Why did Zoey’s doctor warn her to be especially careful about eating well and avoiding alcohol in her first trimester? From a physiological perspective, what is so important about that time period?
2. Explain why giving Pitocin to Zoey helped to speed up her labor.
3. What membrane broke when Zoey felt a gush of water, and how did that membrane form?
Explanation / Answer
Zoey arrived at the hospital in labor with contractions only a few minutes apart
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.