Question 1

Which physical characteristics decrease as the fetus nears term? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)   Vernix caseosa
B)   Lanugo
C)   Port wine stain
D)   Brown fat
E)   Eyebrows or head hair A, B

Question 2

The nurse is assessing a newborn immediately after birth. After assigning the first Apgar score of 9, the nurse notes two vessels in the umbilical cord. What is the nurse's next action?

Accepted Answer

A)   Assess for other abnormalities of the infant.
B)   Note the assessment finding in the infant's chart.
C)   Notify the health care provider of the assessment finding.
D)   Call for the neonatal resuscitation team to attend the infant immediately. A

Question 3

The nurse is explaining the function of the placenta to a pregnant patient. Which statement indicates to the nurse that further clarification is necessary?

Accepted Answer

A)   "My baby gets oxygen from the placenta."
B)   "The placenta functions to help excrete waste products."
C)   "The nourishment that I take in passes through the placenta."
D)   "The placenta helps maintain a stable temperature for my baby." D

Question 4

A pregnant patient asks the nurse how her baby gets oxygen to breathe. What is the nurse's best response?

Accepted Answer

A)   "Oxygen-rich blood is delivered through the umbilical vein to the baby."
B)   "Take lots of deep breaths because the baby gets all of its oxygen from you."
C)   "You don't need to be concerned about your baby getting enough oxygen."
D)   "The baby's lungs are not mature enough to actually breathe, so don't worry."

Question 5

An expectant mother says to the nurse, "When my sister's baby was born, it was covered in a cheese-like coating. What is the purpose of this coating?" The correct response by the nurse is to explain that the purpose of vernix caseosa is to

Accepted Answer

A)   regulate fetal temperature.
B)   protect the fetal skin from amniotic fluid.
C)   promote normal peripheral nervous system development.
D)   allow the transport of oxygen and nutrients across the amnion.

Question 6

An infant is diagnosed with fetal anemia. Which information would support this clinical diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

A)   Presence of excess maternal hormones
B)   Maternal blood type O-negative, Rh-negative, and infant blood type O-negative, Rh-negative
C)   Passive immunity
D)   Rh-negative mother and Rh-positive baby

Question 7

Which statement best describes the changes that occur during the fetal period of development?

Accepted Answer

A)   Maturation of organ systems
B)   Development of basic organ systems
C)   Resistance of organs to damage from external agents
D)   Development of placental oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange

Question 8

What is the purpose of the ovum's zona pellucida?

Accepted Answer

A)   Prevents multiple sperm from fertilizing the ovum
B)   Stimulates the ovum to begin mitotic cell division
C)   Allows the 46 chromosomes from each gamete to merge
D)   Makes a pathway for more than one sperm to reach the ovum

Question 9

The nurse is explaining the process of cell division during the preembryonic period to a group of nursing students. Which statement best describes the characteristics of the morula?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fertilized ovum before mitosis begins
B)   Double layer of cells that becomes the placenta
C)   Flattened, disk-shaped layer of cells within a fluid-filled sphere
D)   Solid ball composed of the first cells formed after fertilization

Question 10

Along with gas exchange and nutrient transfer, the placenta produces many hormones necessary for normal pregnancy, including which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)   Insulin
B)   Estrogen
C)   Progesterone
D)   Testosterone
E)   Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

Question 11

The nurse is explaining fetal circulation to a group of nursing students. Which information should be included in the teaching session? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)   After birth the ductus venosus remains open, but the other shunts close.
B)   The foramen ovale shunts blood from the right atrium to the left atrium.
C)   The ductus venosus shunts blood from the liver to the inferior vena cava.
D)   The ductus arteriosus shunts blood from the right ventricle to the left ventricle.

Question 12

A patient who is 16 weeks pregnant with her first baby asks how long it will be before she feels the baby move. Which is the nurse's best answer?

Accepted Answer

A)   "You should have felt the baby move by now."
B)   "The baby is moving, but you can't feel it yet."
C)   "Some babies are quiet and you don't feel them move."
D)   "Within the next month you should start to feel fluttering sensations."

Question 13

The nurse is planning a prenatal class on fetal development. Which characteristics of prenatal development should the nurse include for a fetus of 24 weeks, based on fertilization age? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)   Ear cartilage firm
B)   Skin wrinkled and red
C)   Testes descending toward the inguinal rings
D)   Surfactant production nears mature levels
E)   Fetal movement becoming progressively more noticeable

Question 14

Some of the embryo's intestines remain within the umbilical cord during the embryonic period because the

Accepted Answer

A)   intestines need this time to grow until week 15.
B)   nutrient content of the blood is higher in this location.
C)   abdomen is too small to contain all the organs while they are developing.
D)   umbilical cord is much larger at this time than it will be at the end of pregnancy.

Question 15

The nurse is conducting a staff in-service on multifetal pregnancy. Which statement regarding dizygotic twin development should the nurse include in the teaching session?

Accepted Answer

A)   Dizygotic twins arise from two fertilized ova and are the same sex.
B)   Dizygotic twins arise from a single fertilized ovum and are always of the same sex.
C)   Dizygotic twins arise from two fertilized ova and may be the same sex or different sexes.
D)   Dizygotic twins arise from a single fertilized ovum and may be the same sex or different sexes.

Question 16

An expectant mother, diagnosed with oligohydramnios, asks the nurse what this condition means for the baby. Which statement should the nurse provide for the patient?

Accepted Answer

A)   Oligohydramnios can cause poor fetal lung development.
B)   Oligohydramnios means that the fetus is excreting excessive urine.
C)   Oligohydramnios could mean that the fetus has a gastrointestinal blockage.
D)   Oligohydramnios is associated with fetal central nervous system abnormalities.

Question 17

One of the assessments performed in the birth room is checking the umbilical cord for blood vessels. Which finding is considered to be within normal limits?

Accepted Answer

A)   One artery and one vein
B)   Two veins and one artery
C)   Two arteries and one vein
D)   Two arteries and two veins

Question 18

A nurse is conducting prenatal education classes for a group of expectant parents. Which information should the nurse include in her discussion of the purpose of amniotic fluid? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A)   Cushions the fetus
B)   Protects the skin of the fetus
C)   Provides nourishment for the fetus
D)   Allows for buoyancy for fetal movement
E)   Maintains a stable temperature for the fetus

Question 19

The upper uterus is the best place for the fertilized ovum to implant due to which anatomical adaptation?

Accepted Answer

A)   Maternal blood flow is lower.
B)   Placenta attaches most firmly.
C)   Uterine endometrium is softer.
D)   Developing baby is best nourished.

Question 20

An expectant father asks the nurse, "Which part of the mature sperm contains the male chromosome?" What is the correct response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

A)   X-bearing sperm
B)   The tail of the sperm
C)   The head of the sperm
D)   The middle portion of the sperm

Exam 5: Conception and Prenatal Development