Midwifery Exam Practice Questions with Correct
Answers
What is the first stage of the menstrual cycle (that lasts 4-7 days) known as? - ✔✔Menstrual Cycle
What is the second stage of the menstrual cycle (lasting 8-13 days) known as? - ✔✔Follicular Phase
What is the third stage of the menstrual cycle, occurring at day 14, known as? - ✔✔Ovulatory Phase
What is the final stage of the menstrual cycle known as? - ✔✔Luteal Phase
What occurs during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔FSH causes follicle maturation in the
ovary. Increased oestrogen causes the endometrium to thicken and become a nourishing environment for
a potential pregnancy.
Define Ovulation - ✔✔A period of heightened hormones where a dominant follicle releases an egg into a
Fallopian tube.
Which hormone is responsible for ovulation? - ✔✔LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
What happens during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔Oestrogen decreases, progesterone
increases due to the corpus luteum.
What happens during the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔Oestrogen and progesterone
decrease and the endometrial lining is shed.
How long is an egg viable for following ovulation? - ✔✔1 day
What happens if an egg is not fertilised? - ✔✔Progesterone decreases, corpus luteum is reabsorbed and
FSH causes new follicles to start maturing.
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, Define capacitation - ✔✔The protective covering of the acrosome of the sperm is removed.
What sort of reaction begins when a sperm comes into contact with an egg? - ✔✔Cortical reaction -
cortical granules block any other sperm from entering the egg
How many chromosomes does a zygote contain? - ✔✔46, in 23 homologous pairs
How many cells does the merula have? - ✔✔8 to 16
How many cells does the blastocyst have? - ✔✔16 to 32
How many days after ovulation can implantation occur? - ✔✔6 to 10 days
Define decidualisation - ✔✔Progesterone increases, creating a hospitable environment for the developing
fetus.
What are trophoblasts? - ✔✔Cells on the outer layer of the blastocyst
What are integrins? - ✔✔Cell adhesion molecules that work in implantation.
What is the chorion? - ✔✔Fetal part of placenta made out of trophoblast cells
Which hormone causes skin pigmentation in pregnancy? - ✔✔Pituitary melanin-stimulating hormone
What is the linea nigra? - ✔✔Abdominal midline
What is striae gravidarum? - ✔✔Stretch marks
What is choloasma? - ✔✔'Mask of pregnancy' which is a tan or dark skin discoloration.
What hormones cause SPD? - ✔✔Increased relaxin and progesterone
What causes backache in pregnancy? - ✔✔Increased progesterone and relaxin that relaxes the sacroiliac
joint.
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©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Answers
What is the first stage of the menstrual cycle (that lasts 4-7 days) known as? - ✔✔Menstrual Cycle
What is the second stage of the menstrual cycle (lasting 8-13 days) known as? - ✔✔Follicular Phase
What is the third stage of the menstrual cycle, occurring at day 14, known as? - ✔✔Ovulatory Phase
What is the final stage of the menstrual cycle known as? - ✔✔Luteal Phase
What occurs during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔FSH causes follicle maturation in the
ovary. Increased oestrogen causes the endometrium to thicken and become a nourishing environment for
a potential pregnancy.
Define Ovulation - ✔✔A period of heightened hormones where a dominant follicle releases an egg into a
Fallopian tube.
Which hormone is responsible for ovulation? - ✔✔LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
What happens during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔Oestrogen decreases, progesterone
increases due to the corpus luteum.
What happens during the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle? - ✔✔Oestrogen and progesterone
decrease and the endometrial lining is shed.
How long is an egg viable for following ovulation? - ✔✔1 day
What happens if an egg is not fertilised? - ✔✔Progesterone decreases, corpus luteum is reabsorbed and
FSH causes new follicles to start maturing.
Page 1/9
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
, Define capacitation - ✔✔The protective covering of the acrosome of the sperm is removed.
What sort of reaction begins when a sperm comes into contact with an egg? - ✔✔Cortical reaction -
cortical granules block any other sperm from entering the egg
How many chromosomes does a zygote contain? - ✔✔46, in 23 homologous pairs
How many cells does the merula have? - ✔✔8 to 16
How many cells does the blastocyst have? - ✔✔16 to 32
How many days after ovulation can implantation occur? - ✔✔6 to 10 days
Define decidualisation - ✔✔Progesterone increases, creating a hospitable environment for the developing
fetus.
What are trophoblasts? - ✔✔Cells on the outer layer of the blastocyst
What are integrins? - ✔✔Cell adhesion molecules that work in implantation.
What is the chorion? - ✔✔Fetal part of placenta made out of trophoblast cells
Which hormone causes skin pigmentation in pregnancy? - ✔✔Pituitary melanin-stimulating hormone
What is the linea nigra? - ✔✔Abdominal midline
What is striae gravidarum? - ✔✔Stretch marks
What is choloasma? - ✔✔'Mask of pregnancy' which is a tan or dark skin discoloration.
What hormones cause SPD? - ✔✔Increased relaxin and progesterone
What causes backache in pregnancy? - ✔✔Increased progesterone and relaxin that relaxes the sacroiliac
joint.
Page 2/9
©EmilyCharlene 2024. All Rights Reserved.
