Deck 12: Conception and Prenatal Development

Question 1

A new mother asks the nurse about the "white substance" covering her infant.The nurse explains that the purpose of vernix caseosa is to

A) Protect the fetal skin from amniotic fluid.
B) Promote normal peripheral nervous system development.
C) Allow transport of oxygen and nutrients across the amnion.
D) Regulate fetal temperature.

Answer 1

Protect the fetal skin from amniotic fluid.

Question 2

The various systems and organs develop at different stages.Which statement is accurate?

A) The cardiovascular system is the first organ system to function in the developing human.
B) Hematopoiesis originating in the yolk sac begins in the liver at 10 weeks.
C) The body changes from straight to C-shaped at 8 weeks.
D) The gastrointestinal system is mature at 32 weeks.

Answer 2

The cardiovascular system is the first organ system to function in the developing human.

Question 3

The placenta allows exchange of oxygen,nutrients,and waste products between the mother and fetus by

A) Contact between maternal blood and fetal capillaries within the chorionic villi
B) Interaction of maternal and fetal pH levels within the endometrial vessels
C) A mixture of maternal and fetal blood within the intervillous spaces
D) Passive diffusion of maternal carbon dioxide and oxygen into the fetal capillaries

Answer 3

Contact between maternal blood and fetal capillaries within the chorionic villi

Question 4

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

A) Umbilical cord is much larger at this time than it will be at the end of pregnancy.
B) Intestines begin their development within the umbilical cord.
C) Nutrient content of the blood is higher in this location.
D) Abdomen is too small to contain all the organs while they are developing.

Question 5

The most basic information a maternity nurse should have concerning conception is

A) Ova are considered fertile 48 to 72 hours after ovulation.
B) Sperm remain viable in the woman's reproductive system for an average of 12 to 24 hours.
C) Conception is achieved when a sperm successfully penetrates the membrane surrounding the ovum.
D) Implantation in the endometrium occurs 6 to 10 days after conception.

Question 6

Sally comes in for her first prenatal examination.This is her first child.She asks you (the nurse),"How does my baby get air inside my uterus?" The correct response is

A) "The baby's lungs work in utero to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide."
B) "The baby absorbs oxygen from your blood system."
C) "The placenta provides oxygen to the baby and excretes carbon dioxide into your bloodstream."
D) "The placenta delivers oxygen-rich blood through the umbilical artery to the baby's abdomen."

Question 7

The upper uterus is the best place for the fertilized ovum to implant because it is here that the

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

Question 8

With regard to the structure and function of the placenta,the maternity nurse should be aware that

A) As the placenta widens, it gradually thins to allow easier passage of air and nutrients.
B) As one of its early functions, the placenta acts as an endocrine gland.
C) The placenta is able to keep out most potentially toxic substances, such as cigarette smoke, to which the mother is exposed.
D) Optimal blood circulation is achieved through the placenta when the woman is lying on her back or standing.

Question 9

A woman is 16 weeks pregnant with her first baby.She asks how long it will be before she feels the baby move.The best answer is

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

Question 10

A patient is sent from the physician's office for assessment because of too little amniotic fluid.The nurse is aware that oligohydramnios can result in

A) Excessive fetal urine secretion
B) Newborn respiratory distress
C) Central nervous system abnormality
D) Gastrointestinal blockage

Question 11

The purpose of the ovum's zona pellucida is to

A) Make a pathway for more than one sperm to reach the ovum.
B) Allow the 46 chromosomes from each gamete to merge.
C) Prevent multiple sperm from fertilizing the ovum.
D) Stimulate the ovum to begin mitotic cell division.

Question 12

Oogenesis,the process of egg formation,begins during fetal life in the female.Which statement related to ovum formation is correct?

A) Two million primary oocytes will mature.
B) At birth, all ova are contained in the female's ovaries.
C) The oocytes complete their division during fetal life.
D) Monthly, at least two oocytes mature.

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

At approximately _____ weeks of gestation,lecithin is forming on the alveolar surfaces,the eyelids open,and the fetus measures approximately 27 cm crown to rump and weighs approximately 1110g.

A) 20
B) 24
C) 28
D) 30

Question 15

While teaching an early pregnancy class,the nurse explains that the morula is a

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

Question 16

When explaining twin conception,the nurse points out that dizygotic twins develop from

A) A single fertilized ovum and are always of the same sex
B) A single fertilized ovum and may be the same sex or different sexes
C) Two fertilized ova and are the same sex
D) Two fertilized ova and may be the same sex or different sexes

Question 17

Between 6 and 10 days after conception,the trophoblast secretes enzymes that enable it to burrow into the endometrium until the entire blastocyst is covered.This is termed implantation.Tiny projections then develop out of the trophoblast and extend into the endometrium.These projections are referred to as

A) Decidua basalis
B) Decidua capsularis
C) Decidua vera
D) Chorionic villi

Question 18

During a centering pregnancy group meeting,the nurse teaches patients that the fetal period is best described as one of

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

Question 19

Which part of the mature sperm contains the male chromosomes?

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

Question 20

A woman who is 16 weeks pregnant asks the nurse,"Is it possible to tell by ultrasound if the baby is a boy or girl yet?" The best answer is

A) "A baby's sex is determined as soon as conception occurs."
B) "The baby has developed enough that we can determine the sex by examining the genitals through ultrasound."
C) "Boys and girls look alike until approximately 20 weeks after conception, and then they begin to look different."
D) "It might be possible to determine your baby's sex, but the external organs look very similar right now."

Question 21

Very fine hairs,called __________,appear first on the fetus's eyebrows and upper lip at 12 weeks of gestation.By 20 weeks,they cover the entire body.By 28 weeks,the scalp hair is longer than these fine hairs,which thin and may disappear by term gestation.

Question 22

The nurse is precepting a student who asks about fetal circulation.The nurse explains that the fetal circulatory shunts are still required after birth.Is this statement true or false?

Question 23

When teaching contraception,the nurse must be able to effectively communicate the nuances of conception.An ovum has the capacity to be fertilized for only 24 hours,whereas a sperm may remain fertile for up to 80 hours.Is this statement true or false?

Question 24

Congenital disorders refer to those conditions that are present at birth.These disorders may be inherited and caused by environmental factors or maternal malnutrition.Toxic exposures have the greatest effect on development between 15 and 60 days of gestation.For the nurse to be able to conduct a complete assessment of the newly pregnant client,she should be knowledgeable regarding known human teratogens,which include (select all that apply)

A) Infections
B) Radiation
C) Maternal conditions
D) Drugs
E) Chemicals

Question 25

Along with gas exchange and nutrient transfer,the placenta produces many hormones necessary for normal pregnancy.These include (select all that apply)

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

Question 26

The ability of the fetus to survive outside the uterus is called ___________.