Maternal Final Exam with Answers
2025-2026.
The 14-year-old pregnant adolescent arrives at the hospital in early labor. The nurse knows that because
the adolescent is still growing herself, she is at greater risk for - Answer cephalopelvic disproportion.
A woman who is about 2 weeks before her due date tells the nurse that the baby has dropped and she is
having urinary frequency again. The nurse assesses this as - Answer lightening
Braxton-Hicks contractions that may begin in the first trimester and become increasingly stronger during
the pregnancy differ from labor contractions in that they - Answer do not dilate the cervix.
_________________ refers to the sensation that a pregnant woman feels when the baby drops. This is
the time when the presenting (lowermost) part of the fetus descends into the maternal pelvis. - Answer
Lightening
____________ ________ _________________ are intermittent weak contractions of the uterus
occurring during pregnancy. - Answer Braxton-Hicks Contractions
The nurse helps to differentiate false from true labor in that with true labor - Answer contractions get
stronger with ambulation.
Contractions get stronger with ambulation with _______ _________. - Answer true labor
pelvis is divided into two parts, the false and true pelvis. The nurse explains that the size of the true
pelvis is most important because - Answer the fetal head must pass through this part.
The relationship of fetal body parts to one another during labor is called fetal attitude. The nurse
explains why the ideal attitude for the fetal body is ________. - Answer flexion
,The relationship of fetal body parts to one another during labor is called fetal attitude. The nurse
explains why the ideal attitude for the fetal body is - Answer flexion
The ideal attitude for the fetal body is __________. - Answer flexion
The nurse clarifies that the type of monitor that will assess the intensity of the contractions is a(n) -
Answer internal monitor.
The nurse observing the fetal heart monitor recognizes the fetal heart rate (FHR) decreases to 120 beats
per minute at the beginning of a contraction and returns to baseline 155 beats per minute at the end of
the contraction. This indicates - Answer early deceleration due to head compression.
The first-time mother has been told by the nurse that the first stage of labor is the longest. An
appropriate nursing intervention for comfort during this time would be - Answer a backrub in the sacral
area.
Backache in the sacral area is a common complaint during the _________ __________ of labor. - Answer
first stage
The nurse monitoring the FHR assesses there are indications that the FHR is nonreassuring. This
indicates to the nurse that the fetus is experiencing fetal distress probably related to - Answer hypoxia
Fetal distress resulting from ___________ is indicated by nonreassuring FHR. - Answer hypoxia
A mother is admitted in active labor. The nurse assesses the FHR at 124 beats per minute; and based on
that assessment the nurse will - Answer reassure the mother the rate is normal.
The client's membranes have just ruptured. The nurse is with her and knows that the first thing that
must be done is to - Answer check the FHR.
The __________ should be assessed immediately after rupture of the membranes to assure the well-
being of the baby. - Answer FHR
,The client arrives at the hospital and is not sure if she is in true labor. The nurse does an assessment and
assures her she is in true labor because - Answer there is cervical dilatation.
The sign of true labor is when the _______ ___________. - Answer cervix dilates.
The nurse is alarmed as she assesses a protruding umbilical cord from the vagina. The immediate action
the nurse should take is - Answer hold fetal head up off the protruding cord
The mother is in beginning labor and asks the nurse how long this will last. The nurse explains that the
first stage of labor lasts from the beginning of regular contractions to - Answer full dilatation of the
cervix.
The first stage of labor begins with regular contractions and ends with complete ___________ of the
cervix. - Answer dilation
The nurse is admitting a client to the labor unit. While doing the initial assessment it is most important
to assess - Answer the timing of contractions.
Assessment begins with timing the ____________ on admission to form a database. - Answer
contractions
During labor, the client screams at her husband to get out of her sight. The nurse's most appropriate
action would be to - Answer assure the husband that such behavior is normal.
The client is admitted to the labor unit. This is her first baby, and upon initial assessment the baby is
found to be engaged. The nurse knows this means that the - Answer widest diameter of the presenting
part has reached the pelvic outlet.
_________________ occurs when the biparietal diameter of the fetal head reaches the pelvic outlet. -
Answer Engagement
The mother has entered the second stage of labor. The nurse states that this stage begins with complete
dilatation of the cervix and ends with - Answer delivery of the baby.
, ________ ________ of labor begins with complete dilatation and ends with the birth of the baby. -
Answer Second stage
As the second stage of labor begins, the mother has an urge to push. The nurse encourages her to use
her abdominal muscles to assist with pushing because - Answer the cervix is completely dilated
Once the ___________ is __________ ___________, the woman is able to use voluntary muscles to
push. - Answer cervix
completely dilated
After the delivery of the baby, the placenta is delivered. Oxytocin is administered. The nurse explains
that the purpose of the drug is to - Answer stimulate uterine contractions.
The _________ makes the uterus contract to reduce postpartum hemorrhage. - Answer oxytocin
Following delivery, the nurse must assess the mother to identify physiological changes during this stage.
For the first hour, this assessment is done every - Answer 15 minutes.
During the first hour, assessments are done every _____ minutes. - Answer 15
The nurse measures the frequency of a laboring woman's contractions by noting: - Answer The time
between the beginning of one contraction and the beginning of the next
The ____________ of contractions is the elapsed time from the beginning of one contraction to the
beginning of the next contraction. - Answer frequency
The relaxation phase between contractions is important because: - Answer The contractions can
interfere with fetal oxygenation
2025-2026.
The 14-year-old pregnant adolescent arrives at the hospital in early labor. The nurse knows that because
the adolescent is still growing herself, she is at greater risk for - Answer cephalopelvic disproportion.
A woman who is about 2 weeks before her due date tells the nurse that the baby has dropped and she is
having urinary frequency again. The nurse assesses this as - Answer lightening
Braxton-Hicks contractions that may begin in the first trimester and become increasingly stronger during
the pregnancy differ from labor contractions in that they - Answer do not dilate the cervix.
_________________ refers to the sensation that a pregnant woman feels when the baby drops. This is
the time when the presenting (lowermost) part of the fetus descends into the maternal pelvis. - Answer
Lightening
____________ ________ _________________ are intermittent weak contractions of the uterus
occurring during pregnancy. - Answer Braxton-Hicks Contractions
The nurse helps to differentiate false from true labor in that with true labor - Answer contractions get
stronger with ambulation.
Contractions get stronger with ambulation with _______ _________. - Answer true labor
pelvis is divided into two parts, the false and true pelvis. The nurse explains that the size of the true
pelvis is most important because - Answer the fetal head must pass through this part.
The relationship of fetal body parts to one another during labor is called fetal attitude. The nurse
explains why the ideal attitude for the fetal body is ________. - Answer flexion
,The relationship of fetal body parts to one another during labor is called fetal attitude. The nurse
explains why the ideal attitude for the fetal body is - Answer flexion
The ideal attitude for the fetal body is __________. - Answer flexion
The nurse clarifies that the type of monitor that will assess the intensity of the contractions is a(n) -
Answer internal monitor.
The nurse observing the fetal heart monitor recognizes the fetal heart rate (FHR) decreases to 120 beats
per minute at the beginning of a contraction and returns to baseline 155 beats per minute at the end of
the contraction. This indicates - Answer early deceleration due to head compression.
The first-time mother has been told by the nurse that the first stage of labor is the longest. An
appropriate nursing intervention for comfort during this time would be - Answer a backrub in the sacral
area.
Backache in the sacral area is a common complaint during the _________ __________ of labor. - Answer
first stage
The nurse monitoring the FHR assesses there are indications that the FHR is nonreassuring. This
indicates to the nurse that the fetus is experiencing fetal distress probably related to - Answer hypoxia
Fetal distress resulting from ___________ is indicated by nonreassuring FHR. - Answer hypoxia
A mother is admitted in active labor. The nurse assesses the FHR at 124 beats per minute; and based on
that assessment the nurse will - Answer reassure the mother the rate is normal.
The client's membranes have just ruptured. The nurse is with her and knows that the first thing that
must be done is to - Answer check the FHR.
The __________ should be assessed immediately after rupture of the membranes to assure the well-
being of the baby. - Answer FHR
,The client arrives at the hospital and is not sure if she is in true labor. The nurse does an assessment and
assures her she is in true labor because - Answer there is cervical dilatation.
The sign of true labor is when the _______ ___________. - Answer cervix dilates.
The nurse is alarmed as she assesses a protruding umbilical cord from the vagina. The immediate action
the nurse should take is - Answer hold fetal head up off the protruding cord
The mother is in beginning labor and asks the nurse how long this will last. The nurse explains that the
first stage of labor lasts from the beginning of regular contractions to - Answer full dilatation of the
cervix.
The first stage of labor begins with regular contractions and ends with complete ___________ of the
cervix. - Answer dilation
The nurse is admitting a client to the labor unit. While doing the initial assessment it is most important
to assess - Answer the timing of contractions.
Assessment begins with timing the ____________ on admission to form a database. - Answer
contractions
During labor, the client screams at her husband to get out of her sight. The nurse's most appropriate
action would be to - Answer assure the husband that such behavior is normal.
The client is admitted to the labor unit. This is her first baby, and upon initial assessment the baby is
found to be engaged. The nurse knows this means that the - Answer widest diameter of the presenting
part has reached the pelvic outlet.
_________________ occurs when the biparietal diameter of the fetal head reaches the pelvic outlet. -
Answer Engagement
The mother has entered the second stage of labor. The nurse states that this stage begins with complete
dilatation of the cervix and ends with - Answer delivery of the baby.
, ________ ________ of labor begins with complete dilatation and ends with the birth of the baby. -
Answer Second stage
As the second stage of labor begins, the mother has an urge to push. The nurse encourages her to use
her abdominal muscles to assist with pushing because - Answer the cervix is completely dilated
Once the ___________ is __________ ___________, the woman is able to use voluntary muscles to
push. - Answer cervix
completely dilated
After the delivery of the baby, the placenta is delivered. Oxytocin is administered. The nurse explains
that the purpose of the drug is to - Answer stimulate uterine contractions.
The _________ makes the uterus contract to reduce postpartum hemorrhage. - Answer oxytocin
Following delivery, the nurse must assess the mother to identify physiological changes during this stage.
For the first hour, this assessment is done every - Answer 15 minutes.
During the first hour, assessments are done every _____ minutes. - Answer 15
The nurse measures the frequency of a laboring woman's contractions by noting: - Answer The time
between the beginning of one contraction and the beginning of the next
The ____________ of contractions is the elapsed time from the beginning of one contraction to the
beginning of the next contraction. - Answer frequency
The relaxation phase between contractions is important because: - Answer The contractions can
interfere with fetal oxygenation
