Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification 2025 Practice Exam – The All-in-One Guide for Guaranteed Success!

Checking hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels between 28 to 36 weeks of gestation is significant primarily for evaluating maternal anemia. During pregnancy, the body undergoes significant changes, including an increase in blood volume. This can lead to dilutional anemia, where the red blood cell count may not increase proportionately with the blood volume. Low Hgb and Hct levels can indicate anemia, which can have implications for both maternal and fetal health.

Anemia in pregnant individuals can lead to fatigue, increased risk of infection, and complications during labor and delivery. It can also affect fetal growth and development, making early detection and management crucial. Therefore, monitoring these levels helps ensure that the mother has adequate red blood cell levels to meet the increased demands of pregnancy.

While assessing fetal lung maturity, monitoring fetal heart rate, and determining fetal weight are important aspects of prenatal care, they are not the primary reasons for checking Hgb and Hct levels within this specific timeframe. Monitoring fetal lung maturity typically involves assessing specific surfactant levels in the amniotic fluid, while fetal heart rate is evaluated through specific cardiotocography methods. Fetal weight assessments are usually performed via ultrasound, making them separate from anemia evaluations.