PMC Pregnancy Body Basics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which hormone is primarily responsible for the softening of ligaments and joints during pregnancy?
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Relaxin (Correct answer)
- Oxytocin
Correct answer: Relaxin
Relaxin, produced mainly by the corpus luteum and placenta, causes ligament laxity throughout the body to prepare for childbirth.
Question 2: The enlarging uterus can compress the inferior vena cava when a pregnant client lies supine. What trimester does this concern become most significant?
- First trimester
- Second trimester
- Third trimester (Correct answer)
- It is equally significant in all trimesters
Correct answer: Third trimester
In the third trimester the uterus is large enough to significantly compress the inferior vena cava in the supine position, potentially causing supine hypotensive syndrome.
Question 3: During pregnancy, total blood volume increases by approximately how much compared to pre-pregnancy levels?
- 10–15%
- 20–25%
- 40–50% (Correct answer)
- 60–70%
Correct answer: 40–50%
Blood volume increases by approximately 40–50% during pregnancy, supporting placental perfusion and preparing for blood loss at delivery.
Question 4: Diastasis recti is a common pregnancy-related change characterized by:
- Separation of the two rectus abdominis muscle bellies along the linea alba (Correct answer)
- Thinning of the uterine wall
- Herniation of abdominal organs into the chest cavity
- Rupture of the round ligament
Correct answer: Separation of the two rectus abdominis muscle bellies along the linea alba
Diastasis recti is the widening separation of the right and left rectus abdominis muscles along the linea alba due to uterine growth and hormonal changes.
Question 5: What causes the skin discoloration known as linea nigra during pregnancy?
- Decreased melanin production
- Increased melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) leading to hyperpigmentation (Correct answer)
- Stretching of the abdominal skin
- Increased progesterone blocking skin enzymes
Correct answer: Increased melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) leading to hyperpigmentation
Elevated MSH and estrogen during pregnancy stimulate melanocytes, causing hyperpigmentation that appears as the dark vertical line (linea nigra) on the abdomen.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes how the diaphragm is affected as pregnancy progresses?
- It descends lower into the abdomen
- It is displaced superiorly by the growing uterus (Correct answer)
- It thickens and becomes less elastic
- It rotates laterally to accommodate fetal movement
Correct answer: It is displaced superiorly by the growing uterus
The growing uterus pushes abdominal organs upward, elevating the diaphragm by up to 4 cm and reducing lung volume in the lower lobes.
Question 7: Round ligament pain during pregnancy is most commonly felt:
- Deep in the pelvis near the sacrum
- In the groin or lower abdomen, often on the right side (Correct answer)
- Along the thoracic spine between the shoulder blades
- Behind the knees due to venous pooling
Correct answer: In the groin or lower abdomen, often on the right side
Round ligament pain presents as sharp or aching groin/lower abdominal discomfort, often right-sided, caused by stretching of the round ligaments that support the uterus.
PMC Pregnancy Body Basics 2
Which hormone is primarily responsible for the softening of ligaments and joints during pregnancy?