ABOG Practice Test

This page is for obstetrics and gynecology physicians preparing for the ABOG Specialty Qualifying Exam (Step I). It summarizes the verified format, dates, and fees, links to our topic practice sets, walks through worked questions, and suggests a study plan. Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam items.

ABOG Exam at a Glance

What the ABOG is and how it works

According to American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “The examination consists of 230 single-best answer, multiple-choice questions.”^[1]

The Specialty Qualifying Exam (Step I) is the written exam administered by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology as part of specialty certification. It is computer-based, taken at Pearson VUE test centers, and offered in English only.

The exam consists of 230 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions. Results are reported as a scaled score with a pass or fail outcome. The cut-point for passing is set through standard setting methodology every 3-5 years and is equated statistically between those reviews, so the passing standard is not a fixed raw percentage.

The next listed exam date is July 19, 2027. Applications open on January 7, 2027. The on-time deadline is February 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m. CT, and the fee is $1,750. Applying after that deadline adds a service fee, bringing the cost to $2,150.

Candidates who are scheduled but do not test, and candidates who do not pass and want to repeat the exam, must submit a new application and pay a new fee.

Certificates issued after 1986 are time-limited. They remain in effect only while the diplomate completes Continuing Certification each year.

Eligibility requirements are not covered here and can change, so check them, along with current dates and fees, on the official ABOG website before you apply.

Worked examples: how to reason through ABOG questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the purpose of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy?

1. To increase fetal growth rate
2. To prevent neural tube defects
3. To decrease maternal blood pressure
4. To promote early labor

Answer: B. To prevent neural tube defects

Explanation:

Folic acid supplementation is given to lower the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida, which is why to prevent neural tube defects is correct. The other options describe effects folic acid does not have. It does not raise fetal growth rate, so that choice confuses a vitamin needed for early neural development with a growth stimulant. It is not an antihypertensive, so blood pressure is unaffected. It does not trigger labor, and there is no link between the supplement and early onset of labor. Rule to remember: when a question asks about the purpose of a preconception or early-pregnancy supplement, match it to the specific fetal malformation it prevents rather than to a general effect on growth, pressure, or timing.

Example 2

Question: An OB/GYN receives a gift worth $500 from a pharmaceutical representative. According to professional ethics guidelines, what should the physician do?

1. Accept it as a token of appreciation for prescribing their products
2. Accept it only if it benefits patients directly
3. Decline the gift to avoid conflicts of interest
4. Accept it and disclose it to patients when prescribing that company's medications

Answer: C. Decline the gift to avoid conflicts of interest

Explanation:

The correct answer is to decline the gift to avoid conflicts of interest. A $500 gift from a pharmaceutical representative can bias prescribing, or look as if it does, so declining protects both the patient and the physician. Accepting it as thanks for prescribing their products is the worst choice because it ties the gift directly to prescribing. Accepting it only if it benefits patients still leaves a financial relationship that may sway decisions. Accepting and then disclosing it to patients does not remove the conflict; disclosure alone does not make a prescribing incentive acceptable. Rule to remember: in ethics questions, remove the conflict first instead of managing it afterward.

Example 3

Question: A patient with recurrent urinary tract infections and urge incontinence has a post-void residual of 250 mL. What condition should be suspected?

1. Overactive bladder
2. Detrusor underactivity (voiding dysfunction)
3. Stress urinary incontinence
4. Vesicovaginal fistula

Answer: B. Detrusor underactivity (voiding dysfunction)

Explanation:

Recurrent urinary tract infections, urge-type symptoms, and a post-void residual of 250 mL point to incomplete emptying, so detrusor underactivity (voiding dysfunction) should be suspected. Overactive bladder causes urgency and frequency, but the bladder usually empties well, so a high residual argues against it. Stress urinary incontinence is leakage with effort, such as coughing, and does not typically produce a large residual. Vesicovaginal fistula causes continuous leakage and does not explain retention with recurrent infections. Rule to remember: a high post-void residual shifts the diagnosis from a storage problem toward an emptying problem, and incomplete emptying is a common cause of repeated infections.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official ABOG material: read the exam content page and the current Qualifying Examination bulletin, and note the dates, fees, and format so nothing about logistics surprises you later.

Next, take a short set of questions in each of our topic areas, such as Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Pregnancy Care, Gynecologic Surgery & Procedures, and Urogynecology & Pelvic Floor Disorders. Treat this as a diagnostic: it shows which areas need the most time.

Spend most of your study time on the weakest sets. For every miss, write down why the correct option is right and why your choice was wrong, then return to a standard reference to fill the gap. Do not memorize our wording, because these are our own practice questions and not real exam items.

Mix topics in later sessions, including Professional Ethics & Standards and Risk Management & Mitigation, so you practice switching subjects as the real exam requires. Near test day, rehearse sitting for long blocks at a computer and review your error notes instead of starting new material.

Sources & last verified

1. edge.sitecorecloud.io — number of questions (official source). “The examination consists of 230 single-best answer, multiple-choice questions.” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.
2. American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology — passing score (official source). “The cut-point for passing the exam is determined using standard setting methodology every 3-5 years and is equated statistically between that time.” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
3. American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology — exam fee, registration deadline, registration opens, next exam date (official source). “January 7, 2027 - February 15, 2027 by 11:59 p.m. CT $1,750” Verified Oct 21, 2026.
4. American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology — retake policy (official source). “Candidates who are scheduled to take the examination but do not do so, as well as candidates who do not pass the examination and who…” Verified Oct 23, 2026 · source checked Oct 23, 2026.
5. American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology — validity, renewal (official source). “Remain only in effect if the diplomate participates in and successfully completes a continuous certification process each year” Verified Oct 21, 2026.
6. American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology — delivery (official source). “The Qualifying Exam is only administered in English.” Verified Oct 21, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.