The nurse is caring for a primigravida who is in for an initial prenatal visit.The patient asks, "Why do they want to draw blood for blood typing?" Which of the following response by the nurse is best?
A)"It is important for us to know your blood type in case you lose blood during delivery."
B)"Knowing your blood type will tell us the baby's blood type."
C)"Blood type is routinely done on your first visit so we can know if there is any risk that you could develop antibodies to the baby's blood."
D)"We do a lot of tests early in your pregnancy, and we try to run everything we might need all at once so you don't have to be stuck again."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Blood typing is routinely done on the first prenatal visit to determine if the patient has any risk of developing antibodies to the baby's blood. This is important because if the mother has Rh-negative blood and the baby has Rh-positive blood, there is a risk of the mother producing antibodies that could harm the baby. Knowing the blood type allows the healthcare provider to take preventive measures, such as administering Rh immunoglobulin.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Primigravida Who Is in for an Initial