Midwifery - Anatomy and Physiology - Year 1
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
What are the 3 phases of the first stage of labour? - ✔✔Latent phase - 0-4cm, irregular contractions,
cervical canal shortens (3cm to less than 0.5cm).
Active phase - 4-8cm, regular contractions 2-5 mins apart and lasting over 60 seconds, cervix is mid to
anterior/soft, effaced.
Transitional - 8-10cm, can be brief lull in contractions, change in woman's behaviour.
Where does fertilisation usually occur? - ✔✔Ampulla of the uterine tube.
What is the dosage of diamorphine and how is it given? - ✔✔5-10mg (dependent on patient size), 4
hourly and IM.
What is Pica? - ✔✔Craving of non-food items such as clay, soap, coal, etc.
When should the nuchal translucency scan take place and what is it for? - ✔✔Between 11+2 and 14+1
weeks. It checks the fluid at the back of the baby's neck and is an indicator for Down's syndrome.
What is tachysystole? - ✔✔More than 5 contractions in 10 minutes in spontaneous labour.
What is tachycardia? - ✔✔A maternal pulse rate of over 100bpm.
Name 5 non-pharmacological methods of pain relief. - ✔✔Water
Distraction techniques
Page 1/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
,TENS machine
Position
Massage
Hypnotherapy
Aromatherapy
Acupuncture
Breathing techniques
What changes occur in the maternal respiratory system during pregnancy? - ✔✔Oxygen consumption
increases by up to 20-30%
Rib cage expands
Tidal volume increases by up to 30-40%
Name 3 types of abnormal placenta. - ✔✔Battledore insertion - cord inserted on the edge
Velementous insertion - cord inserted through the membranes, some distance from the placenta
Succenturiate lobe - a lobe which is separated from the main body but connected by the placental blood
vessels
Page 2/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
,Circumuallate - opaque ring
Bipartite - two separate lobes and a bifurcated cord
The zygote undergoes mitotic cellular division (clevage), resulting in the formation of smaller cells. What
is the zygote called at each of these changes (day 1, day 3 and day 4)? - ✔✔Day 1 - blastomere
Day 3 - morula
Day 4 - blastocyst
There are 3 primary germ layers that are the main embryonic tissues, from which structures and organs
develop. What are they and what develops from them? - ✔✔Ectoderm - epidermis layer of skin, hair,
nails and the nervous system
Mesoderm - muscle, skeleton, dermis of skin, connective tissue, urogenital gland, blood vessels, blood
and lymph cells
Endoderm - epithelial lining of the digestive, respiratory and urinary systems and glandular organs, such
as the liver and the pancreas
What is the dosage of meptid and how should it be given? - ✔✔75-150mg, 2-4 hourly and IM.
What is haemoglobin broken down into? - ✔✔Iron - which produces more red blood cells
Page 3/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
, Globin - a protein used in the body
Un-conjugated bilirubin - toxic, fat-soluble, not easily excreted in bile/urine, causes yellow discolouration
of skin and deposits in the brain
Sensory receptors that respond to pain are called? - ✔✔Nocioceptors
What should you look for when performing a vaginal examination. - ✔✔Labia - varicosities, oedema,
warts, sores, etc
Perineum - scars, epis, FGM, etc
Vaginal orifice - discharge, show, liquor, bleeding etc
Liquor - clear, bloodstained, offensive smell, mec etc
Rectum - loaded, or not (can impede descent)
Cervix - position, consistency, presenting part, effacement and dilation
Membranes - intact or not
Page 4/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
What are the 3 phases of the first stage of labour? - ✔✔Latent phase - 0-4cm, irregular contractions,
cervical canal shortens (3cm to less than 0.5cm).
Active phase - 4-8cm, regular contractions 2-5 mins apart and lasting over 60 seconds, cervix is mid to
anterior/soft, effaced.
Transitional - 8-10cm, can be brief lull in contractions, change in woman's behaviour.
Where does fertilisation usually occur? - ✔✔Ampulla of the uterine tube.
What is the dosage of diamorphine and how is it given? - ✔✔5-10mg (dependent on patient size), 4
hourly and IM.
What is Pica? - ✔✔Craving of non-food items such as clay, soap, coal, etc.
When should the nuchal translucency scan take place and what is it for? - ✔✔Between 11+2 and 14+1
weeks. It checks the fluid at the back of the baby's neck and is an indicator for Down's syndrome.
What is tachysystole? - ✔✔More than 5 contractions in 10 minutes in spontaneous labour.
What is tachycardia? - ✔✔A maternal pulse rate of over 100bpm.
Name 5 non-pharmacological methods of pain relief. - ✔✔Water
Distraction techniques
Page 1/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
,TENS machine
Position
Massage
Hypnotherapy
Aromatherapy
Acupuncture
Breathing techniques
What changes occur in the maternal respiratory system during pregnancy? - ✔✔Oxygen consumption
increases by up to 20-30%
Rib cage expands
Tidal volume increases by up to 30-40%
Name 3 types of abnormal placenta. - ✔✔Battledore insertion - cord inserted on the edge
Velementous insertion - cord inserted through the membranes, some distance from the placenta
Succenturiate lobe - a lobe which is separated from the main body but connected by the placental blood
vessels
Page 2/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
,Circumuallate - opaque ring
Bipartite - two separate lobes and a bifurcated cord
The zygote undergoes mitotic cellular division (clevage), resulting in the formation of smaller cells. What
is the zygote called at each of these changes (day 1, day 3 and day 4)? - ✔✔Day 1 - blastomere
Day 3 - morula
Day 4 - blastocyst
There are 3 primary germ layers that are the main embryonic tissues, from which structures and organs
develop. What are they and what develops from them? - ✔✔Ectoderm - epidermis layer of skin, hair,
nails and the nervous system
Mesoderm - muscle, skeleton, dermis of skin, connective tissue, urogenital gland, blood vessels, blood
and lymph cells
Endoderm - epithelial lining of the digestive, respiratory and urinary systems and glandular organs, such
as the liver and the pancreas
What is the dosage of meptid and how should it be given? - ✔✔75-150mg, 2-4 hourly and IM.
What is haemoglobin broken down into? - ✔✔Iron - which produces more red blood cells
Page 3/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
, Globin - a protein used in the body
Un-conjugated bilirubin - toxic, fat-soluble, not easily excreted in bile/urine, causes yellow discolouration
of skin and deposits in the brain
Sensory receptors that respond to pain are called? - ✔✔Nocioceptors
What should you look for when performing a vaginal examination. - ✔✔Labia - varicosities, oedema,
warts, sores, etc
Perineum - scars, epis, FGM, etc
Vaginal orifice - discharge, show, liquor, bleeding etc
Liquor - clear, bloodstained, offensive smell, mec etc
Rectum - loaded, or not (can impede descent)
Cervix - position, consistency, presenting part, effacement and dilation
Membranes - intact or not
Page 4/36
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
