NCAS Maternal and Child Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pregnant woman in her third trimester reports a sudden severe headache, visual changes, and upper right quadrant pain. The nurse suspects:
- Preeclampsia with severe features requiring immediate referral (Correct answer)
- Normal pregnancy discomfort
- Migraine unrelated to pregnancy
- Urinary tract infection
Correct answer: Preeclampsia with severe features requiring immediate referral
Severe headache, visual changes, and right upper quadrant pain in the third trimester are warning signs of severe preeclampsia requiring emergency evaluation.
Question 2: The Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant program in the US primarily aims to:
- Improve the health of mothers, children, and children with special health needs through state-run programs (Correct answer)
- Fund adult oncology services
- Provide housing assistance for low-income adults
- Administer Medicare benefits
Correct answer: Improve the health of mothers, children, and children with special health needs through state-run programs
Title V provides federal funding to states to improve maternal and child health, with specific focus on reducing infant mortality and supporting children with special health care needs.
Question 3: Which immunization is recommended for all pregnant women between 27 and 36 weeks gestation to protect the newborn from pertussis?
- Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) (Correct answer)
- MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
- Varicella
- HPV
Correct answer: Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis)
Tdap is recommended during each pregnancy between 27–36 weeks to transfer maternal antibodies to the fetus, protecting newborns from whooping cough before they can be vaccinated.
Question 4: A community health nurse is assessing a 6-week postpartum mother who reports persistent sadness, inability to bond with her baby, and insomnia. The nurse should first screen for:
- Postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (Correct answer)
- Thyroid dysfunction only
- Anemia
- Normal baby blues that require no action
Correct answer: Postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Symptoms persisting beyond 2 weeks postpartum suggest postpartum depression; the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is the validated tool for community screening.
Question 5: Which term describes the approach of providing comprehensive health services to women across their entire reproductive lifespan, including preconception, prenatal, and interconception care?
- Life course approach to maternal health (Correct answer)
- Episode-based care model
- Acute intervention framework
- Reactive disease management
Correct answer: Life course approach to maternal health
The life course approach recognizes that maternal and infant health outcomes are shaped by cumulative exposures and experiences across a woman's entire lifespan.
Question 6: Safe sleep recommendations from the AAP to reduce sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) include:
- Placing infants on their back on a firm, flat surface without soft bedding (Correct answer)
- Co-sleeping in the parental bed for bonding
- Placing infants on their stomach to prevent reflux
- Using crib bumpers for safety
Correct answer: Placing infants on their back on a firm, flat surface without soft bedding
The AAP's safe sleep guidelines specify placing infants supine on a firm, flat surface without soft objects, loose bedding, or pillows to reduce SIDS risk.
NCAS Maternal and Child Health 2
A pregnant woman in her third trimester reports a sudden severe headache, visual changes, and upper right quadrant pain.
The nurse suspects: