Page 1 of 75
MATERNITY AND WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE (13TH EDITION, LOWDERMILK ET AL.) EXAM
2026 SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
Maternity and Women's Health Care (13th Edition, Lowdermilk et al.) — Questions
with Rationales
1. In evaluating the level of a pregnant woman's risk of having a low-birth-weight
(LBW) infant, which factor is the most important for the nurse to consider?
A) Cigarette smoking
B) Poor nutritional status
C) African-American race
D) Limited maternal education
Rationale: The rise in overall LBW rates is due to increases in LBW births to non-
Hispanic Black women (13.35%) and Hispanic women (7.21%). Race is a nonmodifiable
risk factor, making it the most important factor to consider. Cigarette smoking, poor
nutrition, and limited education are all modifiable risk factors.
2. A 23-year-old African-American woman is pregnant with her first child. Based on
current statistics for infant mortality, which intervention is most important for the
nurse to include in the client's plan of care?
A) Perform a nutrition assessment
B) Refer the woman to a social worker
C) Advise the woman to see an obstetrician, not a midwife
D) Explain to the woman the importance of keeping her prenatal care appointments
, Page 2 of 75
Rationale: Consistent prenatal care is the best method of preventing or controlling risk
factors associated with infant mortality. Nutritional status is an important modifiable
risk factor, but it is not the most important action a nurse should take in this situation.
3. The nurses working at a newly established birthing center have begun to
compare their performance in providing maternal-newborn care against clinical
standards. This comparison process is most commonly known as what?
A) Best practices network
B) Clinical benchmarking
C) Outcomes-oriented practice
D) Evidence-based practice
Rationale: Outcomes-oriented practice measures the effectiveness of interventions
and quality of care against benchmarks or standards. Clinical benchmarking is a
process used to compare one's own performance against the performance of the best
in an area of service.
4. During a prenatal intake interview, the nurse is in the process of obtaining an
initial assessment of a 21-year-old Hispanic client with limited English proficiency.
Which intervention is the most important for the nurse to implement?
A) Use maternity jargon to enable the client to become familiar with these terms
B) Speak quickly and efficiently to expedite the visit
C) Provide the client with handouts
D) Assess whether the client understands the discussion
Rationale: Nurses contribute to health literacy by using simple, common words,
avoiding jargon, and evaluating whether the client understands the discussion.
Speaking slowly and clearly and focusing on what is important will increase
understanding.
, Page 3 of 75
5. A 28-year-old primigravida at 39 weeks requests a low-intervention labor and
birth; she is healthy, fetal heart rate tracing is reactive, and she requests
continuous labor support from her partner and doula. As the nurse admitting her to
the labor unit, which action best supports family-centered, evidence-based
maternity care?
A) Explain that only one support person is allowed during active labor per hospital policy
B) Encourage intermittent auscultation and offer mobility and nonpharmacologic pain
measures
C) Inform her that early epidural placement is recommended to shorten labor
D) Advise strict bedrest to preserve maternal energy for pushing
Rationale: Encouraging mobility, intermittent auscultation when low risk, and
nonpharmacologic pain measures aligns with family-centered, evidence-based
approaches that support physiologic labor and maternal satisfaction while maintaining
safety.
6. A postpartum patient asks why her newborn is being kept skin-to-skin and
breastfeeding was started within the first hour after birth. Which explanation by the
nurse is best?
A) "These actions help the newborn conserve glucose and support early physiologic
stability."
B) "They are mainly used to shorten the hospital stay after delivery."
C) "They are done because they replace the need for newborn assessment."
D) "They are only recommended when the mother requests them."
Rationale: Early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding support newborn temperature
regulation, glucose stability, and physiologic transition after birth. These practices
reflect evidence-based maternity care that improves maternal-infant outcomes.
7. When the nurse is unsure how to perform a client care procedure that is high risk
and low volume, what is the best action in this situation?
, Page 4 of 75
A) Ask another nurse
B) Discuss the procedure with the client's physician
C) Look up the procedure in a nursing textbook
D) First consult the agency procedure manual
Rationale: Following the agency's policies and procedures manual is always best when
seeking information on correct client procedures. These policies should reflect the
current standards of care and the individual state's guidelines.
8. The nurse is reviewing the 2020 National Health Goals and notes that which is a
focus of these goals?
A) Health promotion and disease prevention
B) Chronic illness and disability
C) Secondary prevention
D) Palliative care
Rationale: The 2020 National Health Goals focus on health promotion, disease
prevention, and improving the quality of life for all Americans.
9. Which statement best describes the role of the nurse in promoting family-
centered maternity care?
A) The nurse makes all decisions for the family
B) The nurse respects the family's cultural values and preferences
C) The nurse limits family involvement to visiting hours
D) The nurse focuses only on the mother's physical needs
Rationale: Family-centered maternity care involves respecting the family's cultural
values, preferences, and involving them in care decisions.
10. Which factor is most important for the nurse to consider when providing
culturally competent maternity care?
MATERNITY AND WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE (13TH EDITION, LOWDERMILK ET AL.) EXAM
2026 SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS VERIFIED 100 %
Maternity and Women's Health Care (13th Edition, Lowdermilk et al.) — Questions
with Rationales
1. In evaluating the level of a pregnant woman's risk of having a low-birth-weight
(LBW) infant, which factor is the most important for the nurse to consider?
A) Cigarette smoking
B) Poor nutritional status
C) African-American race
D) Limited maternal education
Rationale: The rise in overall LBW rates is due to increases in LBW births to non-
Hispanic Black women (13.35%) and Hispanic women (7.21%). Race is a nonmodifiable
risk factor, making it the most important factor to consider. Cigarette smoking, poor
nutrition, and limited education are all modifiable risk factors.
2. A 23-year-old African-American woman is pregnant with her first child. Based on
current statistics for infant mortality, which intervention is most important for the
nurse to include in the client's plan of care?
A) Perform a nutrition assessment
B) Refer the woman to a social worker
C) Advise the woman to see an obstetrician, not a midwife
D) Explain to the woman the importance of keeping her prenatal care appointments
, Page 2 of 75
Rationale: Consistent prenatal care is the best method of preventing or controlling risk
factors associated with infant mortality. Nutritional status is an important modifiable
risk factor, but it is not the most important action a nurse should take in this situation.
3. The nurses working at a newly established birthing center have begun to
compare their performance in providing maternal-newborn care against clinical
standards. This comparison process is most commonly known as what?
A) Best practices network
B) Clinical benchmarking
C) Outcomes-oriented practice
D) Evidence-based practice
Rationale: Outcomes-oriented practice measures the effectiveness of interventions
and quality of care against benchmarks or standards. Clinical benchmarking is a
process used to compare one's own performance against the performance of the best
in an area of service.
4. During a prenatal intake interview, the nurse is in the process of obtaining an
initial assessment of a 21-year-old Hispanic client with limited English proficiency.
Which intervention is the most important for the nurse to implement?
A) Use maternity jargon to enable the client to become familiar with these terms
B) Speak quickly and efficiently to expedite the visit
C) Provide the client with handouts
D) Assess whether the client understands the discussion
Rationale: Nurses contribute to health literacy by using simple, common words,
avoiding jargon, and evaluating whether the client understands the discussion.
Speaking slowly and clearly and focusing on what is important will increase
understanding.
, Page 3 of 75
5. A 28-year-old primigravida at 39 weeks requests a low-intervention labor and
birth; she is healthy, fetal heart rate tracing is reactive, and she requests
continuous labor support from her partner and doula. As the nurse admitting her to
the labor unit, which action best supports family-centered, evidence-based
maternity care?
A) Explain that only one support person is allowed during active labor per hospital policy
B) Encourage intermittent auscultation and offer mobility and nonpharmacologic pain
measures
C) Inform her that early epidural placement is recommended to shorten labor
D) Advise strict bedrest to preserve maternal energy for pushing
Rationale: Encouraging mobility, intermittent auscultation when low risk, and
nonpharmacologic pain measures aligns with family-centered, evidence-based
approaches that support physiologic labor and maternal satisfaction while maintaining
safety.
6. A postpartum patient asks why her newborn is being kept skin-to-skin and
breastfeeding was started within the first hour after birth. Which explanation by the
nurse is best?
A) "These actions help the newborn conserve glucose and support early physiologic
stability."
B) "They are mainly used to shorten the hospital stay after delivery."
C) "They are done because they replace the need for newborn assessment."
D) "They are only recommended when the mother requests them."
Rationale: Early skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding support newborn temperature
regulation, glucose stability, and physiologic transition after birth. These practices
reflect evidence-based maternity care that improves maternal-infant outcomes.
7. When the nurse is unsure how to perform a client care procedure that is high risk
and low volume, what is the best action in this situation?
, Page 4 of 75
A) Ask another nurse
B) Discuss the procedure with the client's physician
C) Look up the procedure in a nursing textbook
D) First consult the agency procedure manual
Rationale: Following the agency's policies and procedures manual is always best when
seeking information on correct client procedures. These policies should reflect the
current standards of care and the individual state's guidelines.
8. The nurse is reviewing the 2020 National Health Goals and notes that which is a
focus of these goals?
A) Health promotion and disease prevention
B) Chronic illness and disability
C) Secondary prevention
D) Palliative care
Rationale: The 2020 National Health Goals focus on health promotion, disease
prevention, and improving the quality of life for all Americans.
9. Which statement best describes the role of the nurse in promoting family-
centered maternity care?
A) The nurse makes all decisions for the family
B) The nurse respects the family's cultural values and preferences
C) The nurse limits family involvement to visiting hours
D) The nurse focuses only on the mother's physical needs
Rationale: Family-centered maternity care involves respecting the family's cultural
values, preferences, and involving them in care decisions.
10. Which factor is most important for the nurse to consider when providing
culturally competent maternity care?
