Inpatient Obstetric Nurse Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Guide

A characteristic of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is its pathologic nature, involving diffuse clotting throughout the vascular system. This condition arises from an overactivation of the coagulation cascade, leading to the formation of small blood clots in vessels all over the body. These clots can obstruct blood flow to organs, resulting in significant complications such as organ dysfunction or failure. As clotting factors and platelets are consumed in the process, the body eventually experiences a paradoxical bleeding risk due to depletion of these components, highlighting the severe imbalance caused by DIC.

In contrast, other choices reflect aspects not characteristic of DIC. For instance, localized clotting pertains to conditions where clots are restricted to specific areas, which is the opposite of the widespread clotting seen in DIC. Rapid weight gain is typically associated with fluid retention and does not directly indicate the coagulation abnormalities found in DIC. Finally, increased platelet count is not typical in DIC, as the condition usually results in a reduction in platelet levels due to consumption as thrombi are formed throughout the circulation.