NCC C-EFM Study Guide Questions and
Answers
Causes of fetal heart rate (FHR) changes not related directly to fetal oxygenation can
include fetal sleep cycles, extreme prematurity, and maternal conditions such as:
a. fever and infection
b. medication and positioning
c. substance abuse and fever - Answer-a. fever and infection
are maternal conditions that can affect the fetal heart rate without being related to fetal
oxygenation.
Medication can trigger nonhypoxic changes in fetal heart rate, but maternal conditions
such as positioning can cause hypoxia through umbilical cord compression.
Maternal substance abuse could lead to hypoxia while a maternal fever is associated
with nonhypoxic fetal heart rate changes
The mechanism for placental transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide is
a. active transport
b. facilitated diffusion
c. passive diffusion - Answer-c. passive diffusion
A fetal death occurred less than a week after a negative contraction stress test. The
original finding would be considered
a. equivocal
b. false negative
c. false positive - Answer-b. false negative
According to Murta and colleagues, elevates arginine vasopressin levels are implicated
in
a. saltatory patterns
b. sinister heart patterns
c. sinosoidal patterns - Answer-c. sinosoidal patterns
A saltatory pattern which shows excessive fetal heart rate variability in brief intervals is
indicative of
a. compensation
b. deterioration
c. mild hypoxic stress - Answer-c. mild hypoxic stress
The quantification of bradycardia is based on
a. actual fetal heart rate in beats per minute
b. average of the baseline rate in ten minute period
c. duration of time the heart rate is below 90 - Answer-a. actual fetal heart rate in beats
per minute
, Studies have shows pulse oximetry as an adjunct surveillance method has what impact
on the incidence of cesarean deliveries?
a. decreases the rate
b. has no effect
c. requires more study - Answer-b. has no effect
A tracing shows fetal bradycardia. The most likely cause for this fetal heart rate tracing
is
a. heart block
b. sleep
c. traumatic brain injury - Answer-a. heart block
Many severely anemic. Rh-affected fetuses do not have a sinusoidal pattern but do
have a round blunted pattern and
a. absent accelerations
b. magnified variability peaks
c. fixed baseline rate - Answer-a. absent accelerations
The STAN system of fetal monitoring persons a computer analysis of the fetal ECG
specific to the detection of changes in the
a. QRS amplitude
b. R-R interval
c. ST segment - Answer-c. ST segment
A prolonged deceleration resulting in a new baseline bradycardia may result from vagal
activity in response to fetal
a. anemia
b. heart block
c. hypoxia - Answer-c. hypoxia
Studies have shown that in the low risk population, electronic fetal monitoring vs.
auscultation regarding the incidence of perinatal mortality is
a. higher
b. lower
c. the same - Answer-c. the same
When the amplitude range of FHR is undetectable, it would be documented as
a. absent
b. decreased
c. indeterminate - Answer-a. absent
If head compression leads to early decelerations, management should include
a. allowing the woman to rest
b. having the woman push with alternate contractions
c. repositioning the woman in the left lateral position - Answer-b. having the woman
push with alternate contractions
Answers
Causes of fetal heart rate (FHR) changes not related directly to fetal oxygenation can
include fetal sleep cycles, extreme prematurity, and maternal conditions such as:
a. fever and infection
b. medication and positioning
c. substance abuse and fever - Answer-a. fever and infection
are maternal conditions that can affect the fetal heart rate without being related to fetal
oxygenation.
Medication can trigger nonhypoxic changes in fetal heart rate, but maternal conditions
such as positioning can cause hypoxia through umbilical cord compression.
Maternal substance abuse could lead to hypoxia while a maternal fever is associated
with nonhypoxic fetal heart rate changes
The mechanism for placental transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide is
a. active transport
b. facilitated diffusion
c. passive diffusion - Answer-c. passive diffusion
A fetal death occurred less than a week after a negative contraction stress test. The
original finding would be considered
a. equivocal
b. false negative
c. false positive - Answer-b. false negative
According to Murta and colleagues, elevates arginine vasopressin levels are implicated
in
a. saltatory patterns
b. sinister heart patterns
c. sinosoidal patterns - Answer-c. sinosoidal patterns
A saltatory pattern which shows excessive fetal heart rate variability in brief intervals is
indicative of
a. compensation
b. deterioration
c. mild hypoxic stress - Answer-c. mild hypoxic stress
The quantification of bradycardia is based on
a. actual fetal heart rate in beats per minute
b. average of the baseline rate in ten minute period
c. duration of time the heart rate is below 90 - Answer-a. actual fetal heart rate in beats
per minute
, Studies have shows pulse oximetry as an adjunct surveillance method has what impact
on the incidence of cesarean deliveries?
a. decreases the rate
b. has no effect
c. requires more study - Answer-b. has no effect
A tracing shows fetal bradycardia. The most likely cause for this fetal heart rate tracing
is
a. heart block
b. sleep
c. traumatic brain injury - Answer-a. heart block
Many severely anemic. Rh-affected fetuses do not have a sinusoidal pattern but do
have a round blunted pattern and
a. absent accelerations
b. magnified variability peaks
c. fixed baseline rate - Answer-a. absent accelerations
The STAN system of fetal monitoring persons a computer analysis of the fetal ECG
specific to the detection of changes in the
a. QRS amplitude
b. R-R interval
c. ST segment - Answer-c. ST segment
A prolonged deceleration resulting in a new baseline bradycardia may result from vagal
activity in response to fetal
a. anemia
b. heart block
c. hypoxia - Answer-c. hypoxia
Studies have shown that in the low risk population, electronic fetal monitoring vs.
auscultation regarding the incidence of perinatal mortality is
a. higher
b. lower
c. the same - Answer-c. the same
When the amplitude range of FHR is undetectable, it would be documented as
a. absent
b. decreased
c. indeterminate - Answer-a. absent
If head compression leads to early decelerations, management should include
a. allowing the woman to rest
b. having the woman push with alternate contractions
c. repositioning the woman in the left lateral position - Answer-b. having the woman
push with alternate contractions
