CPM Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CPM exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CPM Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CPM Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample CPM Questions & Answers
1. The ischial spines are used as a landmark for which clinical assessment in labor?
Fetal station is measured in centimeters above or below the ischial spines, with 0 station meaning the presenting part is level with the spines.
2. Which ethical principle is most directly applicable to medical ethics and law?
Beneficence, the principle of acting in the patient's best interest, is fundamental to ethical practice in medical ethics and law.
3. A postpartum client presents with a firm, midline uterus but reports saturating a pad in 15 minutes. What is the most likely cause?
A firm, contracted uterus with excessive bleeding points to a cervical or vaginal laceration rather than uterine atony, which would present with a boggy uterus.
4. Which maneuver is the first-line intervention for shoulder dystocia?
The McRoberts maneuver (hyperflexion of maternal thighs) combined with suprapubic pressure is the first-line intervention for shoulder dystocia, resolving the majority of cases without further maneuvers.
5. Which fetal structure connects the umbilical vein to the inferior vena cava, bypassing the liver?
The ductus venosus is a fetal shunt that carries oxygenated blood from the umbilical vein directly to the inferior vena cava, allowing most placental blood to bypass the hepatic circulation.
6. What role does documentation play in patient safety protocols?
Thorough documentation in patient safety protocols is both a legal requirement and essential for continuity of patient care.