Midwifery National Practice Exam Prep: Practice Test & Study Guide

The appropriate intravenous dose of pethidine for women is typically between 12.5 to 25 milligrams. This range is commonly utilized in clinical practice for the management of pain, particularly during labor. Pethidine, also known as meperidine, is an opioid analgesic that provides effective relief from acute pain.

This dosage range balances efficacy in pain control with safety considerations, ensuring that the mother receives adequate pain relief without excessive sedation or respiratory depression. Administering doses that fall within this range accommodates individual variability in response to pain medication among different patients while adhering to established clinical guidelines.

In contrast, lower doses, such as those in the other choices, may not achieve the desired analgesic effect. For instance, 10 milligrams may be insufficient for effective pain relief, and 50-100 micrograms is considerably lower than the therapeutic range for pethidine. Finally, 2 milligrams is inadequate for the same reason and does not represent a typical dosing strategy used in labor management. Therefore, the recommended intravenous dosage for women during labor remains within the 12.5 to 25 milligram range.