Free Maternity NCLEX Questions to Skyrocket Your Studying

Written on May 30, 2020

Getting ready for maternity NCLEX questions is an important part of test preparation. Maternity nursing is particularly unique because you’re caring for two patients at once — a pregnant woman and her baby. 

But don’t let that throw you for a loop. Pregnancy and childbirth are really neat areas that are both interesting and challenging to learn about. 

You’re here today to gain valuable knowledge on maternity NCLEX questions to help you be better prepared for this portion of your NCLEX exam. We’re going to cover the key areas of maternity nursing to study in addition to covering a range of maternity NCLEX questions.

Don’t sweat maternity NCLEX questions, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started.

Specific Areas of Maternity NCLEX Questions to Study

While maternity nursing covers pregnancy and delivery, those areas can be broken down into more specific categories to be better prepared for maternity NCLEX questions: prenatal, pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn nursing care.

Prenatal Nursing Care

This is the period of time just prior to a positive pregnancy test. Some maternity NCLEX questions to expect from this area include:

• Infertility
• Prepregnancy health
• Family planning
• Laboratory values relating to the menstrual cycle

Pregnancy Nursing Care

This is the time period from the first date of the last menstrual period until the placenta is delivered. Some maternity NCLEX questions to expect from this area include:

• Antepartum: first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester including normal fetal development
• Diagnoses of pregnancy and complications that can arise
• Normal maternity laboratory values
• Labor and delivery intrapartum care including all aspects: fetal heartbeat variability, uterine contraction patterns, emergent situations, vaginal delivery, and cesarean delivery
• Complications associated with labor and delivery such as placental abruption, breech position, and fetal distress
• Medication administration and common medications used during pregnancy and delivery such as RhoGAM (for Rh-negative mothers), Pitocin (a synthetic version of oxytocin), and magnesium sulfate (for preterm labor and high blood pressure)
• General epidural management

Postpartum Nursing Care

This is the time from when the placenta is delivered up until six months post-delivery and is divided into phases. There’s the initial phase which lasts 6-12 weeks. Next, the subacute phase which lasts 2-6 weeks. And finally, the delayed postpartum phase, lasting up to six months. Some maternity NCLEX questions to expect from this area include:

• Breastfeeding including physiological changes occurring and medications that are compatible 
• Postpartum hemorrhage
• Infection
• Normal laboratory values 

Newborn Nursing Care

In maternity nursing, you’re responsible for the newborn after he or she is delivered. If it’s already known the baby will need extra care or has a birth complication, the NICU team generally comes to care for the newborn. Some maternity NCLEX questions to expect from this area include:

• Apgar score (appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respirations)
• Initial newborn screening
• Breastfeeding including assisting with latching and ensuring adequate intake
• Normal newborn behavior
• Newborn vital signs

Sample Maternity NCLEX Questions

Maternity NCLEX question #1

A 34-year-old woman at 28 weeks gestation is on bed rest due to consistently elevated blood pressures. She calls her healthcare provider’s office complaining of heartburn. The nurse who answers should tell the patient to do what?

1. Lie on your left side for 30 minutes.
2. Take an antacid now and as often as needed per the directions on the label.
3. Take your blood pressure at this time.
4. Talk with your healthcare provider about it at your next appointment.

Answer: C — The best response is to check blood pressure. While the other options aren’t wrong, answer C is the most appropriate immediate response. Options A and B may be done after option C. Option D is wrong because a patient with preeclampsia cannot wait until the next appointment without a better understanding of what is happening.

Maternity NCLEX question #2

Fetal circulation occurs through the umbilical cord from the fetus to the placenta. Which answer gives the best description of what vein(s) and artery(ies) are involved in fetal circulation?

1. Two veins and one artery
2. Two arteries and two umbilical veins
3. Two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein
4. Two umbilical veins and one umbilical artery

Answer: C — Fetal circulation involves two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein. Tip: Remember this by using the acronym AVA (two arteries, one vein).

Maternity NCLEX question #3   

A woman in her first trimester of pregnancy arrives at the emergency department reporting vaginal spotting and cramping. After examination, she is diagnosed with an incomplete miscarriage. Which of the following symptoms are consistent with an incomplete miscarriage?

1. Uterine cramping
2. Mild to severe lower back pain
3. Brown or bright red bleeding
4. Clots or tissue passed from the vagina
5. Increased fundal height

Answer: A, B, C, and D — All of these are symptoms of an incomplete miscarriage. E is not indicative of an incomplete miscarriage.

Maternity NCLEX question #4  

A pregnant client with no known risk factors is inpatient receiving magnesium sulfate at 32 weeks pregnant for preeclampsia. The nurse caring for this patient has the antidote for magnesium toxicity on hand should she need it. Which of the following reverses magnesium toxicity?

1. Calcium gluconate
2. Nifedipine
3. Betamethasone
4. Labetalol

Answer: A — Calcium gluconate is given IV push for magnesium toxicity. Nifedipine and labetalol treat high blood pressure. Betamethasone is used to mature the lungs of a fetus during pregnancy.

Maternity NCLEX question #5   

You enter your patient’s labor room who is in active labor. As you are monitoring the fetal heart rate and uterine contraction pattern, you can hear and see a late deceleration on the monitor. What is the first thing you should do?

1. Double the rate of Pitocin
2. Administer oxygen via a face mask
3. Increase the rate of the patient’s epidural
4. Place the patient in Trendelenburg

Answer: B — Late decelerations cause decreased oxygen and blood flow to the fetus which is why oxygen is necessary. The Pitocin should be turned off and the patient’s epidural rate will not aid in bringing the baby’s heart rate back up. Also, the patient should be turned onto her left side after the oxygen is placed.

Maternity NCLEX question #6

You’re a postpartum nurse assessing a woman with no known complications two days post-delivery. How far can you expect the fundus to have gone down by this time?

1. 0.5 cm
2. 1 cm
3. 1.5 cm
4. 2 cm

Answer: D — The fundus of the uterus begins shrinking in size immediately after delivery. Each day it goes down by 1 cm from the umbilicus. By one week after delivery, the uterus is no longer palpable at all.

Maternity NCLEX question #7

A pregnant client at 34 weeks gestation has an uncomplicated diagnosis of placenta previa. What signs and symptoms are associated with placenta previa?

1. Bright red vaginal bleeding
2. Painless bleeding
3. Abnormal fetal position
4. Normal fetal heart rate
5. Rigid abdomen
6. Weight gain

Answer: A, B, C, and D — A rigid abdomen is associated with placental abruption (an obstetrical emergency when the placenta detaches from the uterus before delivery). It’s not associated with placenta previa. Weight gain isn’t associated with placenta previa.

Do You Want More Maternity NCLEX Questions?

The ultimate goal of maternity nursing is to ensure a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery for both mother and baby. This environment leads to intense emotions and experiences for nurses where you are responsible for caring for, educating, coaching, and supporting your patients. On that note, it’s also an immensely rewarding area of nursing.

Get yourself on the path to success by incorporating practice maternity NCLEX questions into your studying. One simple way to make sure you do this is to sign up for the Daily NCLEX Challenge. After you sign up you’ll get one free NCLEX question delivered directly to your email each day. This gets you in the habit of practicing test questions without ever having to decide what questions to do or where to find them. 

We want to make sure that all nursing students have access to daily NCLEX practice questions, including maternity NCLEX questions. Head on over and sign up today. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.