Which of the following is a priority assessment for a client in labor?

Monitoring the fetal heart rate is a priority assessment for a client in labor because it directly reflects the well-being of the fetus. Continuous observation of the fetal heart rate can reveal signs of fetal distress, which may necessitate immediate intervention to ensure the safety of both the mother and the baby. A normal fetal heart rate pattern is an indicator that the fetus is tolerating labor well; any significant deviations could indicate complications such as umbilical cord issues or placental insufficiency.

While assessing maternal blood pressure, evaluating cervical dilation, and checking for meconium in the amniotic fluid are important components of labor assessment, they do not provide as immediate insight into the fetal status as fetal heart rate monitoring does. Maternal blood pressure is essential for understanding the mother's well-being and potential hypertensive disorders, cervical dilation assesses labor progress, and the presence of meconium can be important in determining the risk of meconium aspiration syndrome. However, the priority remains on the fetal heart rate to safeguard the fetus in the immediate labor setting.