Obstetric Nurse Test Study Guide 2026

Active coagulopathy markedly increases the risk of epidural hematoma, which can compress the spinal cord and cause permanent neurological injury.

The hands-and-knees position uses gravity to encourage anterior rotation of the fetal occiput away from the maternal sacrum, reducing sacral pressure and back pain.

Caput succedaneum is generalized edema of the scalp that is present at birth. It feels soft and spongy and, crucially, crosses the cranial suture lines. It typically resolves within a few days. A cephalohematoma is a collection of blood that does not cross suture lines.

According to ACOG guidelines, preeclampsia with severe features is diagnosed in the presence of new-onset hypertension along with specific signs of end-organ damage. A platelet count below 100,000/μL (thrombocytopenia) is a diagnostic criterion for severe features. While elevated blood pressure and proteinuria are present in preeclampsia, the other options describe findings of preeclampsia without severe features or common pregnancy symptoms.

Cervical lacerations during labor and delivery most commonly occur at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. These lateral aspects of the cervix are subjected to the greatest stretching and pressure as the fetal head descends through the birth canal. The forces exerted during dilation and passage of the fetus make these areas particularly vulnerable to tearing.

Evidence-based practice supports open-glottis, spontaneous (physiologic) pushing triggered by the patient's urge, which reduces maternal exhaustion and improves fetal oxygenation compared to Valsalva pushing.