A client who suspects pregnancy has a peptic ulcer treated with misoprostol. How should the nurse respond?

A client who suspects pregnancy has a peptic ulcer treated with misoprostol. How should the nurse respond?

• A. "You may have an increased chance of having preeclampsia."
• B. "You may be at higher risk for having a spontaneous miscarriage."
• C. "This medication will have no effect on your unborn child."
• D. "You may experience postpartum hemorrhaging after delivery."

Answer: (B)

Misoprostol stimulates uterine contractions and can terminate a pregnancy. For someone who suspects she might be pregnant, using this medication for peptic ulcers raises the risk of spontaneous abortion. The appropriate nurse response is to acknowledge that risk and encourage confirming pregnancy status before continuing treatment, then consider safe alternatives for ulcer management if pregnancy is possible. Other options don’t fit because they don’t address the pregnancy-related risk: preeclampsia isn’t an immediate consequence of misoprostol exposure in this context; saying there’s no effect on the unborn child ignores the drug’s abortifacient potential; postpartum hemorrhage is a concern after delivery, not during this scenario.

Misoprostol stimulates uterine contractions and can terminate a pregnancy. For someone who suspects she might be pregnant, using this medication for peptic ulcers raises the risk of spontaneous abortion. The appropriate nurse response is to acknowledge that risk and encourage confirming pregnancy status before continuing treatment, then consider safe alternatives for ulcer management if pregnancy is possible.

Other options don’t fit because they don’t address the pregnancy-related risk: preeclampsia isn’t an immediate consequence of misoprostol exposure in this context; saying there’s no effect on the unborn child ignores the drug’s abortifacient potential; postpartum hemorrhage is a concern after delivery, not during this scenario.