A 28-year-old client at 24 weeks gestation attends a prenatal appointment and reports frequent leg cramps, especially at night. What is the best advice the nurse can provide to help alleviate this discomfort?
Avoid walking or physical activity in the evening to prevent nighttime cramps.
Apply a heating pad to the affected area to relieve the muscle cramping.
Increase your dietary calcium to reduce the frequency of muscle cramps.
Stretch your calf muscles regularly and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
The correct answer is educating the client to stretch her legs and maintain adequate hydration. Leg cramps commonly occur during pregnancy due to factors such as changes in circulation, increased pressure on nerves, and possible mild dehydration. Stretching the calf muscles and staying hydrated can help prevent or alleviate this issue. Increasing dietary calcium intake is less effective as the evidence linking it to leg cramps during pregnancy is inconclusive. Application of heating pads should be approached with caution in pregnancy and is not a primary intervention for leg cramps. Avoiding walking before bed is unnecessary and may reduce overall physical activity, which is encouraged during pregnancy for optimal health.
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