Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for Study Session 12

Now that you have completed this study session, you can assess how well you have achieved its Learning Outcomes by answering these questions. Write your answers in your Study Diary and discuss them with your Tutor at the next Study Support Meeting. You can check your answers with the Notes on the Self-Assessment Questions at the end of this Module.

SAQ 12.1 (tests Learning Outcomes 12.1 and 12.2)

A 22-year old pregnant woman at 34 weeks of gestation tells you that she craves to eat clay soil. She also tells you that she has developed darker brown patches on her face, and that her feet and ankles swell up during the day.

  • a.Identify the minor disorders of pregnancy this woman is displaying, using their medical names.

  • b.What advice should you give her to manage her symptoms?

Answer

  • a.The medical names for the minor disorders of pregnancy that this woman is displaying are pica, chloasma, and oedema.

  • b.Management:

    Pica: Clay soil is not food, and it may give her parasites that can make her sick. You should advise her not to eat clay, but encourage her to eat iron-rich foods (like chicken, fish, pumpkin, beans, peas, meat — especially liver, kidney, and other organ meats — and whole grain products) and calcium-rich foods (like yellow vegetables, milk, curd, yogurt, cheese, and green leafy vegetables).

    Chloasma: Reassure her that the brown patches are normal and they will fade after the baby is born. She can minimise them by wearing a hat when she is in bright sunlight.

    Oedema: Advise her to put her feet up for a few minutes at least two or three times a day. This will help the fluid in her lower legs to be absorbed back into her circulation. Encourage her to eat fewer packaged foods that are very salty and to drink more water or fruit juices.

SAQ 12.2 (tests Learning Outcomes 12.1 and 12.2)

Match the correct management with each of the disorders.

Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

  1. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, and sit in a cool bath

  2. Drink herbal teas that help her to sleep

  3. Flex the foot and gently stroke the leg

  4. Take two paracetamol tablets with a glass of water

  5. Put the feet up and wear strong stockings

  6. Dress in cool clothes, bathe frequently, and use a fan

  • a.Haemorrhoids

  • b.Insomnia 

  • c.Mild headache

  • d.Sweating a lot

  • e.Varicosities in the legs

  • f.Leg cramps 

The correct answers are:
  • 1 = a
  • 2 = b
  • 3 = f
  • 4 = c
  • 5 = e
  • 6 = d

Summary of Study Session 12