Given the same presentation as above, where should the patient be admitted if labor is not progressing?

Given the same presentation as above, where should the patient be admitted if labor is not progressing?

• A. Send home
• B. Admit to antepartum unit
• C. Admit to the Labor and Delivery Unit
• D. Transfer to NICU

Answer: (C)

When labor isn’t progressing, the patient needs close intrapartum monitoring and the option to intervene promptly if needed. Admitting to the Labor and Delivery Unit provides continuous fetal and maternal monitoring, ongoing cervical assessment, and ready access to interventions such as augmentation with oxytocin, membrane rupture, or surgical delivery if indicated. Sending home would leave a stalled labor unmanaged and could risk deterioration; the antepartum unit is for high‑risk patients who aren’t actively in labor or need nonintrapartum observation, not for ongoing management of a labor that isn’t progressing. Transferring to the NICU is for after birth when the newborn requires intensive care, not for intrapartum management. So the best choice is admission to the Labor and Delivery Unit.

When labor isn’t progressing, the patient needs close intrapartum monitoring and the option to intervene promptly if needed. Admitting to the Labor and Delivery Unit provides continuous fetal and maternal monitoring, ongoing cervical assessment, and ready access to interventions such as augmentation with oxytocin, membrane rupture, or surgical delivery if indicated. Sending home would leave a stalled labor unmanaged and could risk deterioration; the antepartum unit is for high‑risk patients who aren’t actively in labor or need nonintrapartum observation, not for ongoing management of a labor that isn’t progressing. Transferring to the NICU is for after birth when the newborn requires intensive care, not for intrapartum management. So the best choice is admission to the Labor and Delivery Unit.