From the nurse's perspective, what measure should be the focus of the health care system to reduce ...

ANS: A
Early prenatal care allows for early diagnosis and appropriate interventions to reduce the rate of infant mortality. An increased length of stay has been shown to foster improved self-care and parental education. However, it does not prevent the incidence of leading causes of infant mortality rates, such as low birth weight. Early prevention and diagnosis reduce the rate of infant mortality. NICUs offer care to high-risk infants after they are born. Expanding the number of NICUs would offer better access for high-risk care, but this factor is not the primary focus for further reduction of infant mortality rates. A mandate that all pregnant women receive obstetric care would be nearly impossible to enforce. Furthermore, certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) have demonstrated reliable, safe care for pregnant women.