NUR 318 Maternity Exam 1 Questions
With Complete Answers
Presumptive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER signs that woman experiences that
make her think she may be pregnant; least reliable
Probable signs of pregnancy - ANSWER changes observed during PE by health
care provider; can still be caused by other conditions
Positive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER signs directly attributed to the fetus; is
only explained by pregnancy
List presumptive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER amenorrhea, urinary frequency,
nausea and vomiting, excessive fatigue, changes in breasts such as
enlargement, visible veins, or tenderness, and quickening.
List probable signs of pregnancy - ANSWER Goodell's sign, positive pregnancy
test, enlargement of abdomen, ballottement, chadwick's sign, hegar sign,
braxton hicks
List positive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER Fetal heart sounds, palpable fetal
movements, visualization of fetus on US.
amenorrhea - ANSWER absence of menstruation
Braxton Hicks contractions - ANSWER intermittent painless uterine contractions
that occur with increasing frequency as the pregnancy progresses; false labor
Chadwick's sign - ANSWER Bluish purple discoloration of the cervix, vagina, and
labia during pregnancy as a result of increased vascular congestion.
Goodell's sign - ANSWER softening of the cervix
Hegar's sign - ANSWER softening of the lower uterine segment
Quickening - ANSWER the first feeling of movement of the fetus in utero by the
pregnant woman. It usually occurs between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation
Ballottement - ANSWER a palpation technique used in detecting or examining a
floating object in the body
Home Pregnancy tests: Are limited or affected by what? - ANSWER length of
gestation, specimen (urine concentration), presence of blood and drugs
, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - ANSWER hormone produced by the
placenta to sustain pregnancy by stimulating the ovaries to produce estrogen
and progesterone; earliest biochemical marker for pregnancy
How often in normal pregnancy does HCG double? - ANSWER Every 48-72 hours
What happens to the uterus during pregnancy? - ANSWER -increases in size
-changes shape (pear/ovoid)
-positive Hegar's sign
-moves into abdomen after 3 months
-by 20 weeks fundus should be at umbilicus (20cm)
Height of the top of the fundus in cm is equal to.... - ANSWER # of gestational
weeks
-reliable until 32-36weeks
What happens to the cervix during pregnancy? - ANSWER -softens
-mucus plug forms
-turns purple/increased vascularization
-ripening about 4 weeks before birth
What happens to the vagina during pregnancy? - ANSWER -increases
vascularity
-vaginal vault lengthens
-more acidic, white, thick secretions
What happens to the ovaries during pregnancy? - ANSWER -12-14 weeks they
enlarge
-ovulation and menses stop
What happens to the breasts during pregnancy? - ANSWER -Increase in size
-areola get darker
-nipples are erect
-sebaceous glands more prominent
-blood flow doubles
-produce colostrum after week 12
Colostrum - ANSWER first milk release antibody-rich, yellow fluid
-converts to mature milk after delivery
supine hypotensive syndrome - ANSWER Dizziness and a drop in blood pressure
caused when the mother is in a supine position and the weight of the uterus,
infant, placenta, and amniotic fluid compress the inferior vena cava, reducing
return of blood to the heart and cardiac output.
With Complete Answers
Presumptive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER signs that woman experiences that
make her think she may be pregnant; least reliable
Probable signs of pregnancy - ANSWER changes observed during PE by health
care provider; can still be caused by other conditions
Positive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER signs directly attributed to the fetus; is
only explained by pregnancy
List presumptive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER amenorrhea, urinary frequency,
nausea and vomiting, excessive fatigue, changes in breasts such as
enlargement, visible veins, or tenderness, and quickening.
List probable signs of pregnancy - ANSWER Goodell's sign, positive pregnancy
test, enlargement of abdomen, ballottement, chadwick's sign, hegar sign,
braxton hicks
List positive signs of pregnancy - ANSWER Fetal heart sounds, palpable fetal
movements, visualization of fetus on US.
amenorrhea - ANSWER absence of menstruation
Braxton Hicks contractions - ANSWER intermittent painless uterine contractions
that occur with increasing frequency as the pregnancy progresses; false labor
Chadwick's sign - ANSWER Bluish purple discoloration of the cervix, vagina, and
labia during pregnancy as a result of increased vascular congestion.
Goodell's sign - ANSWER softening of the cervix
Hegar's sign - ANSWER softening of the lower uterine segment
Quickening - ANSWER the first feeling of movement of the fetus in utero by the
pregnant woman. It usually occurs between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation
Ballottement - ANSWER a palpation technique used in detecting or examining a
floating object in the body
Home Pregnancy tests: Are limited or affected by what? - ANSWER length of
gestation, specimen (urine concentration), presence of blood and drugs
, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - ANSWER hormone produced by the
placenta to sustain pregnancy by stimulating the ovaries to produce estrogen
and progesterone; earliest biochemical marker for pregnancy
How often in normal pregnancy does HCG double? - ANSWER Every 48-72 hours
What happens to the uterus during pregnancy? - ANSWER -increases in size
-changes shape (pear/ovoid)
-positive Hegar's sign
-moves into abdomen after 3 months
-by 20 weeks fundus should be at umbilicus (20cm)
Height of the top of the fundus in cm is equal to.... - ANSWER # of gestational
weeks
-reliable until 32-36weeks
What happens to the cervix during pregnancy? - ANSWER -softens
-mucus plug forms
-turns purple/increased vascularization
-ripening about 4 weeks before birth
What happens to the vagina during pregnancy? - ANSWER -increases
vascularity
-vaginal vault lengthens
-more acidic, white, thick secretions
What happens to the ovaries during pregnancy? - ANSWER -12-14 weeks they
enlarge
-ovulation and menses stop
What happens to the breasts during pregnancy? - ANSWER -Increase in size
-areola get darker
-nipples are erect
-sebaceous glands more prominent
-blood flow doubles
-produce colostrum after week 12
Colostrum - ANSWER first milk release antibody-rich, yellow fluid
-converts to mature milk after delivery
supine hypotensive syndrome - ANSWER Dizziness and a drop in blood pressure
caused when the mother is in a supine position and the weight of the uterus,
infant, placenta, and amniotic fluid compress the inferior vena cava, reducing
return of blood to the heart and cardiac output.
