RN Nursing · High-Risk Pregnancy — Preterm Labor · Practice question
A nurse is admitting a client who is at 30 weeks of gestation and is in preterm labor. The client has a new prescription for betamethasone and asks the nurse about the purpose of this medication. The nurse should provide which of the following explanations?
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"It is used to stop preterm labor contractions."
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"It increases the fetal heart rate."
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✓
"It promotes fetal lung maturity."
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"It halts cervical dilation."
Answer & explanation
Correct: "It promotes fetal lung maturity."
Betamethasone is a corticosteroid given to pregnant clients between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation (and sometimes up to 36 weeks) when preterm birth is anticipated. Its primary purpose is to accelerate fetal lung maturity by stimulating the production of surfactant in type II pneumocytes. Surfactant reduces alveolar surface tension, preventing alveolar collapse at birth and reducing the incidence and severity of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. This makes option 358124 the correct answer. Option 358122 is incorrect because betamethasone does not have tocolytic properties; tocolytics such as magnesium sulfate, nifedipine, or indomethacin are used to suppress contractions. Option 358123 is incorrect because betamethasone does not increase the fetal heart rate; that is not a mechanism or goal of this therapy. Option 358125 is incorrect because betamethasone has no effect on cervical dilation — cervical ripening agents or tocolytics are used to manage cervical changes. Understanding the distinction between corticosteroids for fetal lung maturation and tocolytics for labor suppression is a key clinical concept in preterm labor management.
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