Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the Maternal Newborn Nursing Test 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.
📋 Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Exam Format at a Glance
📚 Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Topics to Study (36)
✍️ Sample Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Questions & Answers
1. At 12 hours of life, a newborn has not passed meconium. Which assessment finding would most concern the nurse?
Abdominal distension with absent bowel sounds in a newborn who has not passed meconium may indicate intestinal obstruction such as Hirschsprung disease or meconium ileus.
2. The nurse is performing a newborn assessment at 2 hours of life. Which finding requires immediate notification of the healthcare provider?
Nasal flaring and expiratory grunting are signs of respiratory distress in the newborn and require prompt medical evaluation.
3. A patient in active labor has an epidural. Her blood pressure drops to 88/52 mmHg. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
Epidural-induced hypotension is treated first with left lateral positioning to relieve aortocaval compression and IV fluid bolus to restore maternal blood pressure.
4. A postpartum patient requires methylergonovine (Methergine) for uterine atony after vaginal delivery. Which condition is an absolute contraindication?
Methylergonovine causes vasoconstriction and is absolutely contraindicated in hypertensive patients because it can precipitate severe hypertension, stroke, or myocardial infarction.
5. A full-term newborn is diagnosed with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Which delivery method puts a newborn at higher risk for TTN?
TTN occurs when fetal lung fluid is not adequately expelled; labor contractions and passage through the birth canal compress the chest and help clear lung fluid — skipped in elective cesarean.
6. Which maternal complication of gestational diabetes (GDM) places the fetus at greatest risk for macrosomia?
Chronic hyperglycemia in GDM causes glucose to cross the placenta, stimulating fetal hyperinsulinemia, which drives excessive fat storage and macrosomia.