,NSG 3500 Exam 2 Nursing Practice – Maternal Health Questions And
Answers 2026/2027 Galen College
Q1. Which finding most clearly indicates that true labor has begun?
A) Contractions that disappear with walking
B) Irregular contractions without cervical change
C) Mild contractions that remain unchanged for several hours
D) Regular contractions accompanied by progressive cervical dilation and
effacement
Correct Answer: D) Regular contractions accompanied by progressive
cervical dilation and effacement
Rationale: True labor produces regular uterine contractions that become
progressively stronger and are accompanied by cervical effacement and
dilation.
Q2. Which term describes shortening and thinning of the cervix
during labor?
A) Effacement
B) Dilation
C) Station
D) Descent
Correct Answer: A) Effacement
Rationale: Effacement is the thinning and shortening of the cervix,
expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100%.
Q3. What does cervical dilation describe?
A) Fetal descent through the pelvis
B) Opening of the cervix from 0 to 10 cm
C) Thinning of the cervix
D) Rotation of the fetal head
Correct Answer: B) Opening of the cervix from 0 to 10 cm
Rationale: Cervical dilation refers to the opening of the cervical os and
progresses from 0 cm to complete dilation at 10 cm.
Q4. Which factor is one of the five Ps of labor?
A) Pulse
B) Protein
,C) Passageway
D) Perfusion
Correct Answer: C) Passageway
Rationale: The five Ps are powers, passenger, passageway, position, and
psyche. The passageway refers to the maternal bony pelvis and soft tissues
through which the fetus travels.
Q5. Which of the five Ps refers to uterine contractions and maternal
pushing efforts?
A) Passenger
B) Passageway
C) Position
D) Powers
Correct Answer: D) Powers
Rationale: Powers are the forces that move the fetus through the birth
canal. Primary powers are uterine contractions; secondary powers are
maternal pushing efforts.
Q6. Which fetal factor is included under the "passenger" component
of labor?
A) Fetal size and presentation
B) Maternal anxiety
C) Maternal pelvic dimensions
D) Contraction frequency
Correct Answer: A) Fetal size and presentation
Rationale: Passenger refers to the fetus and includes size, lie, presentation,
position, and attitude, all of which influence labor progress.
Q7. Which fetal presentation occurs when the occiput is the
presenting part?
A) Breech
B) Shoulder
C) Cephalic
D) Transverse
Correct Answer: C) Cephalic
, Rationale: In a cephalic presentation, the fetal head is the presenting part.
The vertex presentation with the occiput leading is the most common and
favorable presentation.
Q8. Which fetal presentation is generally associated with the
buttocks or feet entering the birth canal first?
A) Breech
B) Cephalic
C) Occiput anterior
D) Transverse
Correct Answer: A) Breech
Rationale: Breech presentation occurs when the buttocks or one or both
feet are positioned to enter the birth canal first.
Q9. Which fetal position is generally most favorable for vaginal
birth?
A) Occiput posterior
B) Occiput anterior
C) Sacrum posterior
D) Shoulder presentation
Correct Answer: B) Occiput anterior
Rationale: Occiput-anterior positioning allows the smallest favorable
diameter of the fetal head to move through the maternal pelvis.
Q10. Which term describes the relationship of the fetal presenting
part to the ischial spines?
A) Attitude
B) Position
C) Lie
D) Station
Correct Answer: D) Station
Rationale: Station describes the level of the presenting part in relation to
the ischial spines. Zero station is at the level of the spines.
Q11. A fetal presenting part is at +2 station. What does this
indicate?
Answers 2026/2027 Galen College
Q1. Which finding most clearly indicates that true labor has begun?
A) Contractions that disappear with walking
B) Irregular contractions without cervical change
C) Mild contractions that remain unchanged for several hours
D) Regular contractions accompanied by progressive cervical dilation and
effacement
Correct Answer: D) Regular contractions accompanied by progressive
cervical dilation and effacement
Rationale: True labor produces regular uterine contractions that become
progressively stronger and are accompanied by cervical effacement and
dilation.
Q2. Which term describes shortening and thinning of the cervix
during labor?
A) Effacement
B) Dilation
C) Station
D) Descent
Correct Answer: A) Effacement
Rationale: Effacement is the thinning and shortening of the cervix,
expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100%.
Q3. What does cervical dilation describe?
A) Fetal descent through the pelvis
B) Opening of the cervix from 0 to 10 cm
C) Thinning of the cervix
D) Rotation of the fetal head
Correct Answer: B) Opening of the cervix from 0 to 10 cm
Rationale: Cervical dilation refers to the opening of the cervical os and
progresses from 0 cm to complete dilation at 10 cm.
Q4. Which factor is one of the five Ps of labor?
A) Pulse
B) Protein
,C) Passageway
D) Perfusion
Correct Answer: C) Passageway
Rationale: The five Ps are powers, passenger, passageway, position, and
psyche. The passageway refers to the maternal bony pelvis and soft tissues
through which the fetus travels.
Q5. Which of the five Ps refers to uterine contractions and maternal
pushing efforts?
A) Passenger
B) Passageway
C) Position
D) Powers
Correct Answer: D) Powers
Rationale: Powers are the forces that move the fetus through the birth
canal. Primary powers are uterine contractions; secondary powers are
maternal pushing efforts.
Q6. Which fetal factor is included under the "passenger" component
of labor?
A) Fetal size and presentation
B) Maternal anxiety
C) Maternal pelvic dimensions
D) Contraction frequency
Correct Answer: A) Fetal size and presentation
Rationale: Passenger refers to the fetus and includes size, lie, presentation,
position, and attitude, all of which influence labor progress.
Q7. Which fetal presentation occurs when the occiput is the
presenting part?
A) Breech
B) Shoulder
C) Cephalic
D) Transverse
Correct Answer: C) Cephalic
, Rationale: In a cephalic presentation, the fetal head is the presenting part.
The vertex presentation with the occiput leading is the most common and
favorable presentation.
Q8. Which fetal presentation is generally associated with the
buttocks or feet entering the birth canal first?
A) Breech
B) Cephalic
C) Occiput anterior
D) Transverse
Correct Answer: A) Breech
Rationale: Breech presentation occurs when the buttocks or one or both
feet are positioned to enter the birth canal first.
Q9. Which fetal position is generally most favorable for vaginal
birth?
A) Occiput posterior
B) Occiput anterior
C) Sacrum posterior
D) Shoulder presentation
Correct Answer: B) Occiput anterior
Rationale: Occiput-anterior positioning allows the smallest favorable
diameter of the fetal head to move through the maternal pelvis.
Q10. Which term describes the relationship of the fetal presenting
part to the ischial spines?
A) Attitude
B) Position
C) Lie
D) Station
Correct Answer: D) Station
Rationale: Station describes the level of the presenting part in relation to
the ischial spines. Zero station is at the level of the spines.
Q11. A fetal presenting part is at +2 station. What does this
indicate?
