A female patient taking captopril for hypertension says she plans to become pregnant. What should the nurse advise?

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Multiple Choice

A female patient taking captopril for hypertension says she plans to become pregnant. What should the nurse advise?

Captopril during pregnancy poses serious harm to the developing fetus, so pregnancy should be avoided while taking this medication. ACE inhibitors can cause fetal kidney problems, skull defects, oligohydramnios, and even fetal death, particularly as pregnancy progresses. If she plans to become pregnant, the nurse should advise stopping captopril before conception and switching to a pregnancy-safe antihypertensive after discussing with the prescriber. If pregnancy occurs, discontinue the drug promptly and seek medical guidance. While folic acid is important for neural tube defect prevention in general, it does not counteract the fetal risks associated with ACE inhibitors, so relying on it is not sufficient.

Captopril during pregnancy poses serious harm to the developing fetus, so pregnancy should be avoided while taking this medication. ACE inhibitors can cause fetal kidney problems, skull defects, oligohydramnios, and even fetal death, particularly as pregnancy progresses. If she plans to become pregnant, the nurse should advise stopping captopril before conception and switching to a pregnancy-safe antihypertensive after discussing with the prescriber. If pregnancy occurs, discontinue the drug promptly and seek medical guidance. While folic acid is important for neural tube defect prevention in general, it does not counteract the fetal risks associated with ACE inhibitors, so relying on it is not sufficient.

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