Pregnancy Complications - Essay Example

"Pregnancy Complications" is a wonderful example of a paper on pregnancy. I would recommend that Mrs. G consider using family planning methods such as periodic abstinence. Mrs. G. A period of eighteen to twenty-four months between pregnancies will reduce a mother's risk of pregnancy complications. Such a gap gives the mother's body a chance to recover from the previous pregnancy fully and replenishes the nutrients she lost during that period. Moreover, family planning will provide her with enough time to care for her toddler without straining her young self as she recovers from high blood pressure and any other illnesses she might have had during the pregnancy.

Additionally, Mrs. G and her husband should learn more about family planning and decide which of the different methods best suits their family. I would inform her of areas to access cost-effective contraception within her locality, including oral contraceptive pills, implants, injectables, and patches, among others. For instance, she could join the family welfare program and learn more about personal and family healthcare.Screening for disease when planning for her next pregnancy will allow her to undergo therapy and be healthy.

Nutritional diseases such as diabetes and anemia will let her take on supplements and improve her dietary preferences. For instance, during her last pregnancy, she suffered from preeclampsia which can be prevented through taking healthy foods (Erlandsson et al., 2016). Carrier screening and testing, and genetic counseling will ensure that they know of the risks facing their unborn child if any, and as such, they can be proactive. Additionally, confirming that she has received vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases such as rubella, tetanus, Hepatitis B, and diphtheria.

Cultural ImplicationsCultural beliefs influence people's decisions, opinions, and perceptions in healthcare and include dietary preferences, gender roles, expectations about medication and doctors, and seeking help in illnesses. For instance, Mrs. G. prefers to take Nigerian native foods for pregnant women. Also, in her culture men are not allowed to be part of prenatal care as it is the role of women. Mrs. G holds her cultural gender roles to heart and is willing to suffer through extreme fatigue and body weakness and still do all the work because men should not help in women's roles.

She does not trust American doctors and would instead take care of herself which is evident when she dislikes the idea of visiting the hospital and even later, she does not follow medical instructions given by the healthcare provider.Evidence-based practices require healthcare providers to be culturally competent for better health care. These practices are based on evidence found from research, experience, and opinions of leader clinicians, and on the patients’ needs and preferences. Competence behavior, when dealing with cultural issues, includes treating the patient as an individual without making stereotypical cultural conclusions (Hope et al., 2016). The process would require carrying out my cultural assessment, learning about her culture and becoming aware of beliefs surrounding nutrition and pregnancy, and discussing the way forward to her satisfaction (Hope et al., 2016). Therefore, I would enquire on her cultural preferences if any, without assuming that she will necessarily prefer all that is common among Nigerians.

Such inquisition will help establish a good relationship as Mrs.G will feel understood and appreciated as an individual and not like another Nigerian seeking medical help. Also, it shows that I am interested in her well-being and that her opinion matters even though she is the patient. Moreover, this will encourage her participation in subsequent processes. Pregnancy ComplicationsMrs. G should make regular prenatal clinic visits her primary concern. Mrs. G suffered from high blood pressure in her previous pregnancies and is therefore at higher risk for preeclampsia.

The high risk of preeclampsia is possible because she showed signs of weight gain during her previous pregnancies, and the baby was born with low birth weight. Preeclampsia in pregnant women is caused by the reduced concentration of serum selenium in the body (Erlandsson et al., 2016). Symptoms of Serum selenium concentration deficiency include muscle weakness and extreme fatigue, both of which Mrs. G showed. Therefore, she should eat healthy diets of whole grains, dairy products, and beef, turkey, chicken, and eggs because they contain high amounts of selenium and thus would help in preventing preeclampsia (Erlandsson et al., 2016). Also, I would recommend that she schedules prenatal visits with her healthcare provider who will assess the progress of her pregnancy and identify any irregularities, provide guidelines on a healthy lifestyle that will protect both the mother and baby.

On that note, Mrs. G should ensure that she follows all medical instructions keenly and accept proposed diet changes. Furthermore, Mrs. G gave birth to a small baby who experienced respiratory distress, an indication of premature birth. Premature births can be caused by several things, including smoking cigarettes, short periods between pregnancies, or previous premature birth. However, in her case, it was most likely caused by the stressful environment due to overworking. She experiences difficulty in caring for her toddler in her weak state of extreme lethargy and body weakness.

Her belief in gender roles causes premature birth as she refused to receive any help from her willing husband.