Medical Emergencies · patient case question
A 16-week pregnant woman is asymptomatic. What is the correct management?
Patient case: Pontic design and the pregnant patient
Scenario: Two independent items on treatment planning.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Proceed with treatment now — the second trimester is the preferred window
- A. The third trimester is less comfortable — long supine appointments risk vena cava compression — so elective work is not postponed into it.
- B. Medical consultation is prudent for complex cases, but routine care in an uncomplicated pregnancy does not require written clearance for each procedure.
- C. Blanket deferral is not appropriate. Routine and preventive care is safe throughout pregnancy, and untreated disease carries its own risk.
- D. Correct. At 16 weeks she is already in the second trimester, which is the safest window: organogenesis is complete and the uterus is not yet large enough to cause supine hypotension.
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