Essentials of Maternity, Newborn,
and Women's Health Nursing (Ricci,
5th Ed.)Comprehensive Test Bank
Assessment 2025
Unit 1: Foundations of Maternity Care (Q1-10)
Q1: A pregnant patient at 10 weeks gestation asks about a safe exercise regimen. The nurse's
BEST response incorporates which principle?
● A. Avoid all exercise in the first trimester due to miscarriage risk.
● B. Recommend high-impact aerobics to maintain fitness.
● C. Encourage moderate, regular exercise like walking or swimming, and avoid activities with
high fall risk. [CORRECT]
● D. Exercise is only safe in the second trimester.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: According to ACOG and Ricci Chapter 12 (Nutrition and Exercise), pregnant women
without contraindications should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity per week. Activities with high risk of falling, contact sports, or scuba diving
should be avoided. Option A is incorrect—exercise does not cause miscarriage in healthy
pregnancies. Option B is unsafe due to joint laxity and fall risk. Option D is
incorrect—exercise is safe throughout pregnancy with modifications.
Q2: [SATA - Select All That Apply] A nurse is teaching a pregnant patient about foods to avoid
during pregnancy. Which foods should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)
● A. Unpasteurized soft cheeses (brie, feta, queso fresco) [CORRECT]
● B. Raw or undercooked fish (sushi, sashimi) [CORRECT]
● C. Deli meats unless heated until steaming [CORRECT]
● D. Cooked salmon
● E. Pasteurized yogurt
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 12 and CDC guidelines, pregnant women are at increased risk for
listeriosis (from unpasteurized dairy and deli meats) and foodborne illness from raw seafood.
,Listeria can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal infection.
Cooked salmon (D) provides beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Pasteurized yogurt (E) is safe
and provides calcium and probiotics.
Q3: A patient presents for prenatal care and states her last menstrual period (LMP) began on
March 10, 2025. Using Naegele's rule, what is her estimated date of delivery (EDD)?
● A. November 17, 2025
● B. December 17, 2025 [CORRECT]
● C. January 17, 2026
● D. February 17, 2026
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Naegele's rule (Chapter 11): Subtract 3 months from the first day of LMP and add 7
days, then add 1 year if necessary. March 10 minus 3 months = December 10; plus 7 days =
December 17, 2025. This assumes a 28-day cycle; adjustments are needed for irregular
cycles.
Q4: A 28-year-old patient is gravida 3, para 2, aborta 1. She is currently pregnant with twins.
How should the nurse document her current gravida and para status?
● A. Gravida 3, Para 2
● B. Gravida 4, Para 2 [CORRECT]
● C. Gravida 3, Para 3
● D. Gravida 4, Para 3
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gravida counts all pregnancies, including the current one (3 previous + 1 current =
Gravida 4). Para counts births after 20 weeks gestation (2 living children = Para 2). The twin
pregnancy does not change para until delivery. Aborta (1) represents pregnancy losses before
20 weeks. Documentation is discussed in Chapter 11.
Q5: [Medication Focus] A Rh-negative patient delivers a Rh-positive newborn. The nurse
prepares to administer RhoGAM. The correct dose and timing are:
● A. 50 mcg within 72 hours of delivery
● B. 300 mcg within 72 hours of delivery [CORRECT]
● C. 300 mcg only if the patient requests it
● D. 150 mcg within 24 hours only
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 13 and ACOG standards, postpartum RhoGAM for Rh-negative
mothers with Rh-positive newborns is 300 mcg (120 mcg for first-trimester losses) given
intramuscularly within 72 hours of delivery. This prevents sensitization in future pregnancies.
The Kleihauer-Betke test may determine if additional doses are needed after significant
fetomaternal hemorrhage.
Q6: [Cultural Competence] A nurse is caring for a pregnant patient from a cultural background
that practices postpartum "hot-cold" theory, where the postpartum period is considered a
"cold" state requiring "hot" foods. Which response by the nurse demonstrates cultural
competence?
● A. Explain that hot-cold theory has no scientific basis and recommend a standard American
diet.
● B. Incorporate appropriate "hot" foods (e.g., chicken soup, warm teas) into the meal plan
while ensuring nutritional adequacy [CORRECT]
● C. Insist on cold foods to reduce infection risk.
● D. Ask the family to bring food from home without assessment.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cultural competence (Chapter 2) requires respecting health beliefs while ensuring
safety. The "hot-cold" theory is common in Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures. The
nurse collaborates with nutrition services to honor preferences (warm foods, avoiding "cold"
foods like raw vegetables immediately postpartum) while ensuring adequate protein, iron, and
vitamins. Option A dismisses cultural values; Option C violates cultural preferences; Option D
bypasses nutritional assessment.
Q7: A pregnant patient at 32 weeks reports persistent headache, visual disturbances, and right
upper quadrant pain. Her blood pressure is 152/96 mmHg. The nurse recognizes these as
signs of:
● A. Normal third trimester discomfort
● B. Preeclampsia with severe features [CORRECT]
● C. Gestational diabetes
● D. Placental abruption
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 19 (Hypertensive Disorders), the triad of headache, visual
changes (scotomata), and epigastric/RUQ pain with elevated BP indicates preeclampsia with
severe features. This requires immediate notification of the provider, fetal monitoring, and
possible magnesium sulfate therapy for seizure prophylaxis. These are NOT normal
discomforts (Option A) and require urgent intervention.
and Women's Health Nursing (Ricci,
5th Ed.)Comprehensive Test Bank
Assessment 2025
Unit 1: Foundations of Maternity Care (Q1-10)
Q1: A pregnant patient at 10 weeks gestation asks about a safe exercise regimen. The nurse's
BEST response incorporates which principle?
● A. Avoid all exercise in the first trimester due to miscarriage risk.
● B. Recommend high-impact aerobics to maintain fitness.
● C. Encourage moderate, regular exercise like walking or swimming, and avoid activities with
high fall risk. [CORRECT]
● D. Exercise is only safe in the second trimester.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: According to ACOG and Ricci Chapter 12 (Nutrition and Exercise), pregnant women
without contraindications should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic activity per week. Activities with high risk of falling, contact sports, or scuba diving
should be avoided. Option A is incorrect—exercise does not cause miscarriage in healthy
pregnancies. Option B is unsafe due to joint laxity and fall risk. Option D is
incorrect—exercise is safe throughout pregnancy with modifications.
Q2: [SATA - Select All That Apply] A nurse is teaching a pregnant patient about foods to avoid
during pregnancy. Which foods should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)
● A. Unpasteurized soft cheeses (brie, feta, queso fresco) [CORRECT]
● B. Raw or undercooked fish (sushi, sashimi) [CORRECT]
● C. Deli meats unless heated until steaming [CORRECT]
● D. Cooked salmon
● E. Pasteurized yogurt
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 12 and CDC guidelines, pregnant women are at increased risk for
listeriosis (from unpasteurized dairy and deli meats) and foodborne illness from raw seafood.
,Listeria can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal infection.
Cooked salmon (D) provides beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Pasteurized yogurt (E) is safe
and provides calcium and probiotics.
Q3: A patient presents for prenatal care and states her last menstrual period (LMP) began on
March 10, 2025. Using Naegele's rule, what is her estimated date of delivery (EDD)?
● A. November 17, 2025
● B. December 17, 2025 [CORRECT]
● C. January 17, 2026
● D. February 17, 2026
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Naegele's rule (Chapter 11): Subtract 3 months from the first day of LMP and add 7
days, then add 1 year if necessary. March 10 minus 3 months = December 10; plus 7 days =
December 17, 2025. This assumes a 28-day cycle; adjustments are needed for irregular
cycles.
Q4: A 28-year-old patient is gravida 3, para 2, aborta 1. She is currently pregnant with twins.
How should the nurse document her current gravida and para status?
● A. Gravida 3, Para 2
● B. Gravida 4, Para 2 [CORRECT]
● C. Gravida 3, Para 3
● D. Gravida 4, Para 3
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gravida counts all pregnancies, including the current one (3 previous + 1 current =
Gravida 4). Para counts births after 20 weeks gestation (2 living children = Para 2). The twin
pregnancy does not change para until delivery. Aborta (1) represents pregnancy losses before
20 weeks. Documentation is discussed in Chapter 11.
Q5: [Medication Focus] A Rh-negative patient delivers a Rh-positive newborn. The nurse
prepares to administer RhoGAM. The correct dose and timing are:
● A. 50 mcg within 72 hours of delivery
● B. 300 mcg within 72 hours of delivery [CORRECT]
● C. 300 mcg only if the patient requests it
● D. 150 mcg within 24 hours only
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 13 and ACOG standards, postpartum RhoGAM for Rh-negative
mothers with Rh-positive newborns is 300 mcg (120 mcg for first-trimester losses) given
intramuscularly within 72 hours of delivery. This prevents sensitization in future pregnancies.
The Kleihauer-Betke test may determine if additional doses are needed after significant
fetomaternal hemorrhage.
Q6: [Cultural Competence] A nurse is caring for a pregnant patient from a cultural background
that practices postpartum "hot-cold" theory, where the postpartum period is considered a
"cold" state requiring "hot" foods. Which response by the nurse demonstrates cultural
competence?
● A. Explain that hot-cold theory has no scientific basis and recommend a standard American
diet.
● B. Incorporate appropriate "hot" foods (e.g., chicken soup, warm teas) into the meal plan
while ensuring nutritional adequacy [CORRECT]
● C. Insist on cold foods to reduce infection risk.
● D. Ask the family to bring food from home without assessment.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cultural competence (Chapter 2) requires respecting health beliefs while ensuring
safety. The "hot-cold" theory is common in Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures. The
nurse collaborates with nutrition services to honor preferences (warm foods, avoiding "cold"
foods like raw vegetables immediately postpartum) while ensuring adequate protein, iron, and
vitamins. Option A dismisses cultural values; Option C violates cultural preferences; Option D
bypasses nutritional assessment.
Q7: A pregnant patient at 32 weeks reports persistent headache, visual disturbances, and right
upper quadrant pain. Her blood pressure is 152/96 mmHg. The nurse recognizes these as
signs of:
● A. Normal third trimester discomfort
● B. Preeclampsia with severe features [CORRECT]
● C. Gestational diabetes
● D. Placental abruption
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per Ricci Chapter 19 (Hypertensive Disorders), the triad of headache, visual
changes (scotomata), and epigastric/RUQ pain with elevated BP indicates preeclampsia with
severe features. This requires immediate notification of the provider, fetal monitoring, and
possible magnesium sulfate therapy for seizure prophylaxis. These are NOT normal
discomforts (Option A) and require urgent intervention.
