Which of the following is a key indicator of fetal well-being that a nurse should monitor during pregnancy?

Monitoring fetal heart rate is a key indicator of fetal well-being during pregnancy because it provides direct information about the fetus's health and current condition. A normal fetal heart rate typically ranges from 110 to 160 beats per minute, and any significant deviations from this range can indicate potential issues, such as fetal distress, hypoxia, or other complications that may need immediate attention.

Fetal heart rate monitoring allows healthcare providers to assess how the fetus responds to various stimuli, including contractions during labor. Variability in the heart rate can reflect the well-being of the fetus, indicating appropriate oxygenation and neurological function. These factors are crucial for ensuring that the fetus is developing safely without any distress.

While factors such as maternal weight gain and blood sugar levels are important for monitoring the overall health of the pregnant individual and can indirectly affect fetal health, they do not provide as direct an assessment of fetal well-being as the fetal heart rate does. Maternal respiratory rate generally does not offer information about fetal condition either, making fetal heart rate the most critical parameter to monitor for assessing the fetus's status during pregnancy.