NUR 302 - CH 18 EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
What is the goal of fetal heart rate monitoring during labor? - Answers To assess fetal well-being and
identify signs of fetal hypoxia or compromise during labor.
What must occur for the fetus to remain well oxygenated during labor? - Answers Adequate oxygen
must transfer from the maternal circulation through the placenta to the fetus.
What factors can reduce fetal oxygenation during labor? - Answers Reduced maternal blood flow,
decreased oxygen in maternal blood, placental dysfunction, or umbilical cord compression.
What maternal conditions may decrease blood flow to the placenta? - Answers Hypotension,
hypertension, hypovolemia, or maternal vascular disease.
What is placental abruption? - Answers Premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall
that can reduce oxygen to the fetus.
What is uterine activity monitoring? - Answers The assessment of contractions including their
frequency, duration, and intensity.
What is fetal heart rate monitoring used to identify? - Answers Normal (reassuring) patterns and
abnormal (nonreassuring) patterns that may indicate fetal distress.
What is intermittent auscultation? - Answers Listening to fetal heart sounds at specific intervals
during labor using a Doppler or fetoscope.
What are advantages of intermittent auscultation? - Answers It is inexpensive, easy to perform, and
allows the mother greater mobility during labor.
What are disadvantages of intermittent auscultation? - Answers It cannot detect subtle heart rate
changes and does not provide a permanent record.
What is electronic fetal monitoring (EFM)? - Answers A method that continuously records fetal heart
rate and uterine contractions.
What are the two types of electronic fetal monitoring? - Answers External monitoring and internal
monitoring.
What is external fetal monitoring? - Answers A noninvasive method that uses sensors placed on the
maternal abdomen.
What device measures fetal heart rate during external monitoring? - Answers An ultrasound
transducer.
What device measures uterine contractions externally? - Answers A tocodynamometer (toco).
What does the tocodynamometer measure? - Answers The frequency and duration of contractions
but not their intensity.
What is internal fetal monitoring? - Answers A method using devices placed inside the uterus to
obtain more accurate data.
What is a fetal scalp electrode (FSE)? - Answers A spiral wire attached to the fetal scalp to directly
measure fetal heart rate.
What cervical dilation is usually required before placing a fetal scalp electrode? - Answers At least
about 2 cm dilation with ruptured membranes.
What is an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC)? - Answers A catheter placed into the uterus to
measure the strength of uterine contractions.
What must occur before placing an intrauterine pressure catheter? - Answers The membranes must
be ruptured.
What advantage does internal monitoring provide? - Answers It measures the exact fetal heart rate
and the true intensity of contractions.
What are Montevideo units (MVUs)? - Answers A unit used to measure the strength of uterine
contractions over a 10-minute period.
What MVU level is usually required for adequate labor progress? - Answers About 200 Montevideo
units.
What is contraction frequency? - Answers The time from the start of one contraction to the start of
the next.
What is contraction duration? - Answers The length of time a contraction lasts.
What is contraction intensity? - Answers The strength of the contraction.
What method can estimate contraction intensity during palpation? - Answers Comparing uterine
firmness to the nose (mild), chin (moderate), or forehead (strong).
What are periodic fetal heart rate changes? - Answers Changes that occur in association with uterine
contractions.
What is the goal of fetal heart rate monitoring during labor? - Answers To assess fetal well-being and
identify signs of fetal hypoxia or compromise during labor.
What must occur for the fetus to remain well oxygenated during labor? - Answers Adequate oxygen
must transfer from the maternal circulation through the placenta to the fetus.
What factors can reduce fetal oxygenation during labor? - Answers Reduced maternal blood flow,
decreased oxygen in maternal blood, placental dysfunction, or umbilical cord compression.
What maternal conditions may decrease blood flow to the placenta? - Answers Hypotension,
hypertension, hypovolemia, or maternal vascular disease.
What is placental abruption? - Answers Premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall
that can reduce oxygen to the fetus.
What is uterine activity monitoring? - Answers The assessment of contractions including their
frequency, duration, and intensity.
What is fetal heart rate monitoring used to identify? - Answers Normal (reassuring) patterns and
abnormal (nonreassuring) patterns that may indicate fetal distress.
What is intermittent auscultation? - Answers Listening to fetal heart sounds at specific intervals
during labor using a Doppler or fetoscope.
What are advantages of intermittent auscultation? - Answers It is inexpensive, easy to perform, and
allows the mother greater mobility during labor.
What are disadvantages of intermittent auscultation? - Answers It cannot detect subtle heart rate
changes and does not provide a permanent record.
What is electronic fetal monitoring (EFM)? - Answers A method that continuously records fetal heart
rate and uterine contractions.
What are the two types of electronic fetal monitoring? - Answers External monitoring and internal
monitoring.
What is external fetal monitoring? - Answers A noninvasive method that uses sensors placed on the
maternal abdomen.
What device measures fetal heart rate during external monitoring? - Answers An ultrasound
transducer.
What device measures uterine contractions externally? - Answers A tocodynamometer (toco).
What does the tocodynamometer measure? - Answers The frequency and duration of contractions
but not their intensity.
What is internal fetal monitoring? - Answers A method using devices placed inside the uterus to
obtain more accurate data.
What is a fetal scalp electrode (FSE)? - Answers A spiral wire attached to the fetal scalp to directly
measure fetal heart rate.
What cervical dilation is usually required before placing a fetal scalp electrode? - Answers At least
about 2 cm dilation with ruptured membranes.
What is an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC)? - Answers A catheter placed into the uterus to
measure the strength of uterine contractions.
What must occur before placing an intrauterine pressure catheter? - Answers The membranes must
be ruptured.
What advantage does internal monitoring provide? - Answers It measures the exact fetal heart rate
and the true intensity of contractions.
What are Montevideo units (MVUs)? - Answers A unit used to measure the strength of uterine
contractions over a 10-minute period.
What MVU level is usually required for adequate labor progress? - Answers About 200 Montevideo
units.
What is contraction frequency? - Answers The time from the start of one contraction to the start of
the next.
What is contraction duration? - Answers The length of time a contraction lasts.
What is contraction intensity? - Answers The strength of the contraction.
What method can estimate contraction intensity during palpation? - Answers Comparing uterine
firmness to the nose (mild), chin (moderate), or forehead (strong).
What are periodic fetal heart rate changes? - Answers Changes that occur in association with uterine
contractions.
