IBCLC Trivia 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym IBCLC stand for?
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (Correct answer)
- Integrated Breastfeeding Counseling and Lactation Certificate
- International Breastfeeding and Lactation Certification
- Institute for Board-Certified Lactation Clinicians
Correct answer: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
IBCLC stands for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, the gold-standard credential in lactation care.
Question 2: Which organization administers the IBCLC certification exam?
- International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) (Correct answer)
- La Leche League International (LLLI)
Correct answer: International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE)
The IBLCE (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners) is the credentialing body that administers and oversees the IBCLC exam.
Question 3: What is the recertification cycle for the IBCLC credential?
- 3 years
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- 15 years
Correct answer: 10 years
IBCLCs must recertify every 10 years, either by retaking the exam or completing 75 continuing education recognition points (CERPs).
Question 4: Which vitamin, produced through skin exposure to sunlight, is often supplemented for exclusively breastfed infants?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is typically low in breast milk and exclusively breastfed infants are recommended to receive 400 IU/day supplementation per AAP guidelines.
Question 5: The term 'galactogogue' refers to a substance that does what?
- Suppresses milk production
- Stimulates or increases milk production (Correct answer)
- Flavors breast milk
- Treats mastitis
Correct answer: Stimulates or increases milk production
A galactogogue is any substance—herbal, pharmaceutical, or dietary—believed to initiate, maintain, or increase milk production.
Question 6: What is the primary hormone responsible for milk ejection (let-down reflex)?
- Prolactin
- Estrogen
- Oxytocin (Correct answer)
- Progesterone
Correct answer: Oxytocin
Oxytocin causes the myoepithelial cells around alveoli to contract, ejecting milk through the ducts — the let-down reflex.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'exclusive breastfeeding' as defined by the WHO?
- Breast milk with no formula but water allowed
- Only breast milk, including expressed milk, with no other liquids or solids except vitamins or medications (Correct answer)
- Breastfeeding at least 8 times per day with no formula
- Breast milk as the majority of infant intake
Correct answer: Only breast milk, including expressed milk, with no other liquids or solids except vitamins or medications
WHO defines exclusive breastfeeding as giving only breast milk (including expressed milk) and no other liquids or solids except oral rehydration solution, vitamins, minerals, or medications.
IBCLC Trivia 2
What does the acronym IBCLC stand for?