A 17 year old primigravida asks you what to expect during her pregnancy. You tell her that normally during pregnancy:
Correct Answer: Blood volume increases
Description: During pregnancy many physiological changes take place in a mother's body. Maternal blood volume increases up to 40% due to elevated testosterone and estrogen levels. Bone marrow production of erythrocytes also increases, but does not keep up with the plasma volume expansion, resulting in a decrease in hematocrit (physiological anemia of pregnancy). Respiratory minute volume increases by about 50% because of the increased basal metabolic rate and oxygen consumption. This increase is largely due to an increase in tidal volume without increase in respiratory rate. Residual volume and expiratory reserve volume decreases. Gastrointestinal tone and motility decrease because of the inhibitory effect of progesterone on these smooth muscles. Ref: Alford C., Nurudeen S. (2013). Chapter 4. Physiology of Reproduction in Women. In A.H. DeCherney, L. Nathan, N. Laufer, A.S. Roman (Eds), CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Obstetrics & Gynecology, 11e.
Category:
Gynaecology & Obstetrics
Get More
Subject Mock Tests
Practice with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects and improve your knowledge.
Attempt a mock test nowMock Exam
Take an exam with 100 random questions selected from all subjects to test your knowledge.
Coming SoonGet More
Subject Mock Tests
Try practicing mock tests with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects.
Attempt a mock test now