The nurse caring for a woman hospitalized for hyperemesis gravidarum should expect that initial treatment to involve:
a. Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
b. IV therapy to correct fluid and electrolyte imbalances.
c. An antiemetic, such as pyridoxine, to control nausea and vomiting.
d. Enteral nutrition to correct nutritional deficits.
ANS: B
Initially, the woman who is unable to keep down clear liquids by mouth requires IV therapy for correction of fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Corticosteroids have been used successfully to treat refractory hyperemesis gravidarum; however, they are not the expected initial treatment for this disorder. Pyridoxine is vitamin B6, not an antiemetic. Promethazine, a common antiemetic, may be prescribed. In severe cases of hyperemesis gravidarum, enteral nutrition via a feeding tube may be necessary to correct maternal nutritional deprivation. This is not an initial treatment for this patient.
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