NSG 3500 Exam 1 | NSG 3500 Maternal Health |
Questions and Answers with Rationales
2026/2027 Update
QUESTION 1 A nurse is describing the historical evolution of maternal-newborn
nursing. Which 20th-century development most significantly reduced maternal
mortality rates in the United States?
A. Increased use of midwives in hospital births
B. The shift from home births to hospital-based childbirth with aseptic practices,
antibiotics, and improved obstetric anesthesia
C. Use of forceps for routine deliveries
D. Increase in cesarean section rates
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The transition from home births to hospital-based births
incorporating aseptic techniques, the introduction of antibiotics to combat
puerperal infection, and advancements in obstetric anesthesia and blood banking
drastically reduced maternal mortality during the 20th century.
QUESTION 2 A nurse is implementing family-centered maternity care. Which
intervention best reflects this philosophy?
A. Restricting visitation to designated hours only to ensure patient rest
B. Allowing the partner to remain with the laboring client throughout labor and
birth
C. Providing all newborn care in the hospital nursery to allow the mother to rest
D. Making major medical decisions for the family without their direct input
CORRECT ANSWER: B
,RATIONALE: Family-centered maternity care treats the family as a unit,
encourages active partner/family involvement throughout labor and birth,
promotes bonding, and respects family preferences.
QUESTION 3 A pediatric nurse assesses a 13-year-old adolescent girl and notes
the appearance of breast buds. What clinical term does the nurse use to
document this finding?
A. Menarche
B. Thelarche
C. Pubarche
D. Climacteric
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: Thelarche refers to the initial development of breast buds, which is
typically the first outward sign of puberty in females. Menarche is the first
menstrual period, and pubarche is the appearance of pubic hair.
QUESTION 4 A perinatal nurse explains to an adolescent female that ova are
produced and estrogen is secreted at which phase of life?
A. Puberty
B. Birth
C. The climacteric
D. Pregnancy
CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: While a female is born with her lifetime supply of ova, they remain
dormant until puberty, when hypothalamic and pituitary hormonal changes
stimulate their maturation, ovulation, and estrogen secretion.
QUESTION 5 A woman has the diagnosis of dyspareunia on her medical chart.
What does the nurse understand this term to mean?
A. Infrequent menstrual periods
,B. Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
C. Lack of orgasmic ability
D. Pain with intercourse
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATIONALE: Dyspareunia is defined as persistent or recurrent pain experienced
just before, during, or after sexual intercourse.
QUESTION 6 A woman is being treated for infertility, and the physician prescribes
a medication to stimulate ovarian follicle development. Which medication should
the nurse anticipate teaching the client about?
A. Clomiphene citrate
B. Luteinizing hormone
C. Mifepristone
D. Misoprostol
CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: Clomiphene citrate is an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator
commonly used as a first-line treatment to stimulate ovulation by inducing the
release of FSH and LH.
QUESTION 7 The nurse explains to a student nurse that the development and
thickening of the secretory endometrial lining of the uterus during the menstrual
cycle is mediated primarily by which hormone?
A. Follicle-stimulating hormone
B. Luteinizing hormone
C. Progesterone
D. Prostaglandin
CORRECT ANSWER: C
, RATIONALE: Progesterone is secreted by the corpus luteum and transforms the
proliferative endometrium into a secretory, vascularized lining suitable for
blastocyst implantation.
QUESTION 8 During which phase of the uterine cycle does the secretory phase
occur?
A. From day 1 of menses until ovulation
B. From ovulation until the onset of menses
C. Simultaneously with the menstrual phase
D. During the ischemic degeneration of the endometrium
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The secretory phase spans from ovulation (approximately day 14) to
just before the onset of the next menses (approximately day 28), governed by
high levels of progesterone.
QUESTION 9 A nurse is teaching a client about tracking ovulation using the basal
body temperature (BBT) method. Which change occurs in basal body temperature
around the time of ovulation?
A. It drops significantly and remains low throughout the luteal phase
B. It spikes sharply and then drops to baseline immediately
C. It dips slightly just before ovulation and then rises by about 0.5 to 1.0 degree
Fahrenheit due to progesterone
D. It remains completely stable across the entire cycle
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: Progesterone is thermogenic. Immediately following ovulation, the
rise in progesterone causes a measurable upward shift in basal body temperature.
QUESTION 10 Which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the
endometrial lining, inhibiting uterine contractions, and supporting a newly
established pregnancy until the placenta takes over?
A. Human chorionic gonadotropin
Questions and Answers with Rationales
2026/2027 Update
QUESTION 1 A nurse is describing the historical evolution of maternal-newborn
nursing. Which 20th-century development most significantly reduced maternal
mortality rates in the United States?
A. Increased use of midwives in hospital births
B. The shift from home births to hospital-based childbirth with aseptic practices,
antibiotics, and improved obstetric anesthesia
C. Use of forceps for routine deliveries
D. Increase in cesarean section rates
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The transition from home births to hospital-based births
incorporating aseptic techniques, the introduction of antibiotics to combat
puerperal infection, and advancements in obstetric anesthesia and blood banking
drastically reduced maternal mortality during the 20th century.
QUESTION 2 A nurse is implementing family-centered maternity care. Which
intervention best reflects this philosophy?
A. Restricting visitation to designated hours only to ensure patient rest
B. Allowing the partner to remain with the laboring client throughout labor and
birth
C. Providing all newborn care in the hospital nursery to allow the mother to rest
D. Making major medical decisions for the family without their direct input
CORRECT ANSWER: B
,RATIONALE: Family-centered maternity care treats the family as a unit,
encourages active partner/family involvement throughout labor and birth,
promotes bonding, and respects family preferences.
QUESTION 3 A pediatric nurse assesses a 13-year-old adolescent girl and notes
the appearance of breast buds. What clinical term does the nurse use to
document this finding?
A. Menarche
B. Thelarche
C. Pubarche
D. Climacteric
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: Thelarche refers to the initial development of breast buds, which is
typically the first outward sign of puberty in females. Menarche is the first
menstrual period, and pubarche is the appearance of pubic hair.
QUESTION 4 A perinatal nurse explains to an adolescent female that ova are
produced and estrogen is secreted at which phase of life?
A. Puberty
B. Birth
C. The climacteric
D. Pregnancy
CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: While a female is born with her lifetime supply of ova, they remain
dormant until puberty, when hypothalamic and pituitary hormonal changes
stimulate their maturation, ovulation, and estrogen secretion.
QUESTION 5 A woman has the diagnosis of dyspareunia on her medical chart.
What does the nurse understand this term to mean?
A. Infrequent menstrual periods
,B. Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
C. Lack of orgasmic ability
D. Pain with intercourse
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATIONALE: Dyspareunia is defined as persistent or recurrent pain experienced
just before, during, or after sexual intercourse.
QUESTION 6 A woman is being treated for infertility, and the physician prescribes
a medication to stimulate ovarian follicle development. Which medication should
the nurse anticipate teaching the client about?
A. Clomiphene citrate
B. Luteinizing hormone
C. Mifepristone
D. Misoprostol
CORRECT ANSWER: A
RATIONALE: Clomiphene citrate is an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator
commonly used as a first-line treatment to stimulate ovulation by inducing the
release of FSH and LH.
QUESTION 7 The nurse explains to a student nurse that the development and
thickening of the secretory endometrial lining of the uterus during the menstrual
cycle is mediated primarily by which hormone?
A. Follicle-stimulating hormone
B. Luteinizing hormone
C. Progesterone
D. Prostaglandin
CORRECT ANSWER: C
, RATIONALE: Progesterone is secreted by the corpus luteum and transforms the
proliferative endometrium into a secretory, vascularized lining suitable for
blastocyst implantation.
QUESTION 8 During which phase of the uterine cycle does the secretory phase
occur?
A. From day 1 of menses until ovulation
B. From ovulation until the onset of menses
C. Simultaneously with the menstrual phase
D. During the ischemic degeneration of the endometrium
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATIONALE: The secretory phase spans from ovulation (approximately day 14) to
just before the onset of the next menses (approximately day 28), governed by
high levels of progesterone.
QUESTION 9 A nurse is teaching a client about tracking ovulation using the basal
body temperature (BBT) method. Which change occurs in basal body temperature
around the time of ovulation?
A. It drops significantly and remains low throughout the luteal phase
B. It spikes sharply and then drops to baseline immediately
C. It dips slightly just before ovulation and then rises by about 0.5 to 1.0 degree
Fahrenheit due to progesterone
D. It remains completely stable across the entire cycle
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATIONALE: Progesterone is thermogenic. Immediately following ovulation, the
rise in progesterone causes a measurable upward shift in basal body temperature.
QUESTION 10 Which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the
endometrial lining, inhibiting uterine contractions, and supporting a newly
established pregnancy until the placenta takes over?
A. Human chorionic gonadotropin
