HESI Maternal Newborn Practice Exam
Questions and correct Answers 2025
1. Which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the uterine lining
during early pregnancy?
a) Estrogen
b) Progesterone
c) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
d) Oxytocin
2. What is the recommended weight gain for a woman with a normal pre-
pregnancy BMI during pregnancy?
a) 5-10 pounds
b) 25-35 pounds
c) 40-50 pounds
d) 15-20 pounds
3. At what gestational age is the fetus considered viable outside the womb?
a) 20 weeks
b) 24 weeks
c) 28 weeks
d) 32 weeks
4. What is the primary purpose of the amniotic fluid?
a) To nourish the fetus
b) To supply oxygen to the fetus
,c) To cushion and protect the fetus
d) To provide hormones to the fetus
5. A woman at 36 weeks gestation reports a sudden gush of fluid from her
vagina. What is the nurse’s priority action?
a) Assess fetal heart tones
b) Check for ruptured membranes
c) Monitor contractions
d) Prepare for a vaginal exam
6. During labor, what is the first stage called?
a) Expulsion stage
b) Dilation stage
c) Placental stage
d) Latent phase
7. What does a “negative” result on the Non-Stress Test (NST) indicate?
a) The test is reactive and normal
b) No fetal heart rate accelerations with movement
c) Early signs of fetal distress
d) Normal fetal movement detected
8. Which vaccine is contraindicated during pregnancy?
a) Influenza (inactivated) vaccine
b) MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
c) Tdap vaccine
d) Hepatitis B vaccine
9. What is the most common sign of preeclampsia?
a) Hyperglycemia
b) Hypertension
c) Bradycardia
d) Hyperthermia
, 10. What is the appropriate nursing intervention for a newborn with a
temperature of 36.0°C (96.8°F)?
a) Place under radiant warmer and provide skin-to-skin contact
b) Swaddle and monitor temperature frequently
c) Give cold water bath
d) Encourage feeding immediately
11. What does the APGAR score assess?
a) Maternal vital signs during labor
b) Fetal heart rate during contractions
c) Newborn’s condition immediately after birth
d) Placental delivery
12. Which medication is commonly administered to a newborn to prevent
hemorrhagic disease?
a) Erythromycin ointment
b) Vitamin K injection
c) Hepatitis B vaccine
d) Surfactant therapy
13. A nurse is caring for a woman who has just delivered a baby. The placenta
has not yet delivered, and the uterus is boggy and soft. What should the nurse
do first?
a) Encourage the mother to breastfeed
b) Administer pain medication
c) Massage the uterus gently
d) Prepare for manual removal of placenta
14. What is the normal range for fetal heart rate?
a) 60-100 bpm
b) 90-110 bpm
c) 110-160 bpm
d) 170-190 bpm
Questions and correct Answers 2025
1. Which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the uterine lining
during early pregnancy?
a) Estrogen
b) Progesterone
c) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
d) Oxytocin
2. What is the recommended weight gain for a woman with a normal pre-
pregnancy BMI during pregnancy?
a) 5-10 pounds
b) 25-35 pounds
c) 40-50 pounds
d) 15-20 pounds
3. At what gestational age is the fetus considered viable outside the womb?
a) 20 weeks
b) 24 weeks
c) 28 weeks
d) 32 weeks
4. What is the primary purpose of the amniotic fluid?
a) To nourish the fetus
b) To supply oxygen to the fetus
,c) To cushion and protect the fetus
d) To provide hormones to the fetus
5. A woman at 36 weeks gestation reports a sudden gush of fluid from her
vagina. What is the nurse’s priority action?
a) Assess fetal heart tones
b) Check for ruptured membranes
c) Monitor contractions
d) Prepare for a vaginal exam
6. During labor, what is the first stage called?
a) Expulsion stage
b) Dilation stage
c) Placental stage
d) Latent phase
7. What does a “negative” result on the Non-Stress Test (NST) indicate?
a) The test is reactive and normal
b) No fetal heart rate accelerations with movement
c) Early signs of fetal distress
d) Normal fetal movement detected
8. Which vaccine is contraindicated during pregnancy?
a) Influenza (inactivated) vaccine
b) MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine
c) Tdap vaccine
d) Hepatitis B vaccine
9. What is the most common sign of preeclampsia?
a) Hyperglycemia
b) Hypertension
c) Bradycardia
d) Hyperthermia
, 10. What is the appropriate nursing intervention for a newborn with a
temperature of 36.0°C (96.8°F)?
a) Place under radiant warmer and provide skin-to-skin contact
b) Swaddle and monitor temperature frequently
c) Give cold water bath
d) Encourage feeding immediately
11. What does the APGAR score assess?
a) Maternal vital signs during labor
b) Fetal heart rate during contractions
c) Newborn’s condition immediately after birth
d) Placental delivery
12. Which medication is commonly administered to a newborn to prevent
hemorrhagic disease?
a) Erythromycin ointment
b) Vitamin K injection
c) Hepatitis B vaccine
d) Surfactant therapy
13. A nurse is caring for a woman who has just delivered a baby. The placenta
has not yet delivered, and the uterus is boggy and soft. What should the nurse
do first?
a) Encourage the mother to breastfeed
b) Administer pain medication
c) Massage the uterus gently
d) Prepare for manual removal of placenta
14. What is the normal range for fetal heart rate?
a) 60-100 bpm
b) 90-110 bpm
c) 110-160 bpm
d) 170-190 bpm
