Maternity & obstetric nursing worksheet with answers

What is the typical head circumference of a term newborn?

1. AAbout 25 to 28 cm
2. BAbout 20 to 23 cm
3. CAbout 40 to 43 cm
4. DAbout 33 to 35 cm

A woman lists her symptoms. Which one is a presumptive (subjective) sign of pregnancy?

1. AAmenorrhoea
2. BFetal heart tones heard by Doppler
3. CA positive pregnancy test
4. DBallottement of the fetus

What is lochia alba?

1. ABright red discharge in the first days
2. BGreen, foul-smelling discharge
3. CPink to brown discharge from about day 4 to day 10
4. DWhite-yellow discharge in the later weeks

A newborn has flat, blue-grey patches over the lower back and buttocks. How should the nurse interpret this?

1. AA port-wine stain that will need laser treatment
2. BBruising that suggests birth trauma or abuse
3. CHarmless dermal melanocytosis, to be documented
4. DA sign of a serious blood clotting disorder

Which newborn finding is linked to a vacuum-assisted birth?

1. ACleft lip and palate
2. BClubfoot (talipes)
3. CA harmless erythema toxicum rash
4. DA chignon or cephalhaematoma

Two days after a caesarean, a woman feels bloated with gas pains. Which advice is most helpful?

1. AStay in bed until the pain stops
2. BUse straws to drink fluids
3. CWalk around regularly
4. DDrink fizzy drinks to bring up the gas

Which postpartum woman should the nurse assess first?

1. AOne hour after birth: heart rate 118/min and a boggy fundus
2. BDay 1: moderate lochia rubra with a few clots smaller than a coin
3. CDay 3: full, firm, tender breasts
4. DDay 2: cramping during breastfeeding

Which finding is a sign that the placenta is separating in the third stage of labour?

1. AA gush of blood and lengthening of the cord
2. BSudden severe abdominal pain
3. CImmediate fall in maternal blood pressure
4. DThe uterus becomes soft and wide