A nurse in a clinic is caring for an adolescent client who is at 24 weeks of gestation and showing signs of preeclampsia. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Rationale: A. Increased platelet count: Preeclampsia is often associated with thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), not an increase. A falling platelet count can be a warning sign of worsening disease or progression to HELLP syndrome. B. Increased protein in urine: Proteinuria is one of the hallmark signs of preeclampsia, resulting from glomerular damage in the kidneys. A 24-hour urine protein test or dipstick is commonly used to detect elevated protein levels during pregnancy. C. Decreased BUN: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) may increase if renal perfusion is compromised, but a decrease is not typical in preeclampsia. Kidney involvement often leads to elevated BUN and creatinine levels. D. Decreased serum uric acid: Preeclampsia usually causes elevated serum uric acid levels due to decreased renal clearance. A drop in uric acid would be inconsistent with this diagnosis