The nursing intervention to relieve "morning sickness" in a pregnant woman is:

RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Explanation

Dry carbohydrates, such as toast or crackers, are easily digestible and effective at absorbing stomach acid that accumulates overnight, which is a primary cause of morning nausea.
Eating a small amount of this type of food before getting out of bed helps to prevent an empty stomach, a common trigger for morning sickness.
This simple dietary modification provides a slow release of energy without overwhelming the digestive system, making it a first-line non-pharmacological intervention.

Option A: Antacids are formulated to neutralize stomach acid to relieve heartburn (pyrosis), not primarily to treat the hormonally-induced nausea of morning sickness.
Option B: High-fat, oily, and spicy foods delay gastric emptying, which can significantly exacerbate feelings of nausea and lead to vomiting.
Option C: The prone (face-down) position is uncomfortable, impractical, and becomes physically impossible as pregnancy progresses. It offers no physiological benefit for nausea and can worsen acid reflux.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Nursing interventions for managing morning sickness in pregnancy to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
A key nursing role is educating pregnant women on effective, non-pharmacological strategies to manage common discomforts like morning sickness, promoting self-care and reducing anxiety.
Nurses must assess the severity of nausea and vomiting to differentiate between normal morning sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe condition characterized by significant weight loss and dehydration that requires medical intervention.
What if? If the nausea and vomiting are severe, persistent, and accompanied by weight loss of more than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight, the condition is likely hyperemesis gravidarum. The priority intervention would shift from dietary advice to immediate medical referral for IV fluid replacement and antiemetic therapy.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the patient and the clinical problem: a pregnant woman experiencing 'morning sickness'.
Recall the common causes and triggers of morning sickness: hormonal changes (hCG), an empty stomach, and low blood sugar.
Analyze the goal of the intervention: to relieve nausea in a safe, non-pharmacological way.
Evaluate each option against this goal. Ask: 'Does this intervention address the cause of nausea?'
Eliminate options that are ineffective or harmful. High-fat foods worsen nausea. The prone position is impractical and contraindicated. Antacids treat heartburn, not nausea itself.
Select the option that directly addresses the problem. Dry carbohydrates are bland, absorb stomach acid, and prevent an empty stomach, making them the most logical and standard recommendation.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Nursing interventions for managing morning sickness in pregnancy.
Stem keywords: nursing intervention, morning sickness, pregnant woman
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Obstetrics Williams p. 84-91

E6 Midwifery Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Sandeep Kaur p. 3-8