While completing the medical and surgical history during the initial prenatal visit, the 16-year-old primigravida interrupts with "Why are you asking me all these questions? What difference does it make?" Which statement would best answer the

Question

patient's questions? "We ask these questions: 1. "To detect anything that happened in your past that might affect the pregnancy."
2. "To see whether you can have prenatal visits less often than most patients do."
3. "To make sure that our paperwork and records are complete and up to date."
4. "To look for any health problems in the past that might affect your parenting."

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: The medical and surgical histories of a new prenatal patient must be accurate and complete to detect conditions that might be exacerbated during pregnancy or delivery, to ensure safety of both the mother and the fetus.
Rationale 2: Prenatal visits follow a set schedule for normal patients without complications.
Rationale 3: Paperwork is a lower priority than is patient care.
Rationale 4: The psychological history of a patient, not the medical or surgical history, can indicate potential problems with parenting.