Deck 4: Birth and the Newborn

Question 1

At the start of the twentieth century, childbirth began to be professionalized in the United States, at least in urban settings.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Mortality rates for both mothers and children have increased dramatically in the twenty-first century.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Labor is brought on by a series of uterine, cervical, and other changes that begin about 8 weeks before delivery.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The third stage of childbirth starts when a baby's head starts to move through the cervix into the vaginal canal.

Question 5

Once a woman has had one cesarean delivery, many physicians warn that she should only attempt a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) with caution.

Question 6

Epidurals given early allow a woman to participate in the birth process.

Question 7

Colostrum contains more fat and calories than breast milk.

Question 8

Lanugo is absorbed into the skin after birth.

Question 9

The continued persistence of certain reflexes after they should have disappeared can be evidence of neurological problems.

Question 10

The fetus obtains oxygen and eliminates carbon dioxide through the fallopian tubes.

Question 11

Blood is collected via a heelstick from newborn babies at the hospital and used to screen for phenylketonuria (PKU) and other conditions.

Question 12

The establishment of "stable and distinct" states of arousal is associated with newborn health and positive outcomes because they are a marker of neurological organization.

Question 13

Birth weight and length of gestation are poor predictors of an infant's survival and health.

Question 14

Respiratory distress syndrome is common in preterm babies who lack an adequate amount of surfactant.

Question 15

Postmature babies tend to be fatter than full-term babies.

Question 16

Because postmature fetuses are at risk of brain damage or even death, doctors sometimes induce labor or perform cesarean deliveries.

Question 17

Many stillborn fetuses are small-for-date, indicating malnourishment in the womb.

Question 18

Infant care practices are universal.

Question 19

Humans are biologically prepared by evolution to engage in the parenting relationship.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the modern childbirth practices in the United States is true?

A) The prospective father is not allowed to be present while the partner is in labor.
B) The rates of cesarean births are negligible in the United States.
C) Nearly all births occur in the hospital with a physician attending them.
D) A majority of babies are born at home under the supervision of midwives.

Question 21

Women who have given birth during the past 50 years have benefited from a dramatic reduction in risks surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. This is due to

A) increased assistance of midwives.
B) an increase in the number of home births.
C) a decrease in the number of cesarean births.
D) an increase in the medicalization of childbirth.

Question 22

Noah and Ella, a middle-aged couple, have been married for 7 years and have a daughter. They are expecting their second child, and Ella wants to experience the intimate, personal experience of childbirth. They appoint a trained nurse-midwife who is equipped with medical equipment to assist them during childbirth. Which of the following methods is Noah and Ella most likely to use?

A) a home birth
B) a quiet birth
C) a cesarean delivery
D) a lotus birth

Question 23

Which of the following humanizes the experience of childbirth?

A) discouraging the partner from being present during labor
B) administering general anesthesia to eliminate pain during labor
C) ensuring rooming-in facilities to help the mother and the baby bond
D) expanding the medicalization process involved in childbirth

Question 24

________ is brought on by a series of uterine, cervical, and other changes that begin about 2 weeks before delivery.

A) Implantation
B) Conception
C) Labor
D) Fertilization

Question 25

Julie and Adam learn in their prenatal classes that the first stage of the birth process is the longest, and for Julie, who is having her first child, it will generally last about ________ hours.

A) 3 to 5
B) 6 to 8
C) 2 to 4
D) 12 to 14

Question 26

Which of the following occurs during the first stage of childbirth?

A) crowning of the head
B) dilation of the cervix
C) expulsion of the placenta
D) clamping of the umbilical cord

Question 27

The placenta is expelled from the mother's body during the ________ of childbirth.

A) first stage
B) second stage
C) third stage
D) fourth stage

Question 28

A surgical cut between the vagina and anus intended to enlarge the vaginal opening, speed delivery, and prevent the vagina from tearing is known as a(n)

A) episiotomy.
B) nephrectomy.
C) hysterectomy.
D) lobectomy.

Question 29

Electronic fetal monitoring is used for

A) tracking the time of childbirth.
B) measuring the weight of the fetus.
C) measuring the maternal oxygen usage rate.
D) tracking the fetus's heartbeat during labor.

Question 30

In the context of the birth process, which of the following is true of electronic fetal monitoring?

A) Its use is restricted to high-risk deliveries.
B) It is a relatively cheap facility and is provided for all deliveries.
C) It restricts a mother's movements during labor.
D) It is very accurate and has a negligible false-positive rate.

Question 31

Hannah, a 23-year-old woman, is expecting her first child. Her medical reports indicate that the baby is lying crosswise in the uterus. Which of the following describes the baby's position?

A) normal
B) transverse
C) breech
D) lateral

Question 32

Cesarean deliveries are

A) most common among low-income women.
B) increasing because of the rising proportion of older first-time mothers.
C) associated with healthier babies.
D) typically linked to shorter hospital stays.

Question 33

Patrick and Lacey, a newly married couple, are expecting their first child. They believe in natural childbirth methods, so they attend prepared childbirth classes where they are taught breathing and muscular responses designed to

A) promote bonding between a baby and its parents.
B) ease pain associated with labor.
C) create a hypnotic state during delivery.
D) slow down contractions during labor.

Question 34

A method of childbirth that seeks to reduce or eliminate the use of drugs, enable both parents to participate fully, and control perceptions of pain is called

A) prepared childbirth.
B) medicated childbirth.
C) a forceps delivery.
D) cesarean response training.

Question 35

Which of the following statements about prepared childbirth is true?

A) It involves delivering babies in dimly lit, isolated rooms with the help of anesthesia.
B) It allows the mother to relax during the birth process because she is given general anesthesia.
C) It allows the father to be involved in labor and delivery.
D) It involves giving medical help in hospital settings to deliver the baby safely.

Question 36

________ renders a woman completely unconscious and greatly increases the risks to the mother and her baby.

A) Local anesthesia
B) An epidural block
C) General anesthesia
D) A spinal tap

Question 37

A criticism of the use of general anesthesia during childbirth is that general anesthesia

A) fails to relieve the mother's discomfort.
B) increases the occurrence of postpartum depression.
C) greatly increases the risks to the mother and her baby.
D) contributes to withdrawal symptoms that many new mothers experience.

Question 38

Linda will have a medicated delivery. Which of the following if given early is most likely to lessen her pain, shorten her labor, and allow her to participate in the birth process?

A) over-the-counter painkillers
B) acetaminophen
C) epidural blocks
D) general anesthesia

Question 39

Which of the following is true of doulas?

A) They have received professional medical training.
B) They are an active part of the childbirth process.
C) They provide emotional support to a mother throughout labor.
D) They work as assistants to anesthesiologists during the birth process.

Question 40

Sheila calls herself a birth companion. Her job involves ensuring that mothers are as comfortable as possible, reassuring them that everything is normal, and encouraging them to relax and take deep breaths. As part of the job, she stays with the mothers throughout childbirth and, sometimes, until the first few days of breast-feeding. However, her job does not involve delivering babies. In this scenario, Sheila is most likely a

A) midwife.
B) nurse.
C) doula.
D) therapist.

Question 41

Which of the following is true of the neonatal period?

A) It is limited to the first 2 weeks after birth.
B) Boys tend to be slightly longer and heavier than girls at birth.
C) A firstborn child is likely to weigh more at birth than his or her sibling.
D) Neonates experience rapid gain in weight from the first day of life.

Question 42

Which of the following is a true statement about the physical growth and development in infants and children?

A) A newborn baby's head is disproportionately large.
B) Children grow fastest between the ages of 3 and 6.
C) Boys are slightly smaller than girls at most ages.
D) Teething in infants usually begins after the child's first birthday.

Question 43

Ashley, a 28-year-old woman, had a vaginal delivery. Aubrey, her friend, had a cesarean delivery. Their relatives observe that Ashley's baby has a misshapen head, while Aubrey's baby has a round head. Which of the following has contributed to the difference in the head shapes of the neonates in this scenario?

A) medullas
B) colostrum
C) lanugo
D) fontanels

Question 44

Which of the following statements about the first few days of life is true?

A) Neonates have an elongated chin and evenly toned skin.
B) Babies gain as much as 40 percent of their body weight in the first few days.
C) The head seems disproportionately smaller than the body for all neonates.
D) Neonates born through vaginal delivery are more likely to have misshapen heads for about a week after birth.

Question 45

Fontanels are present in a neonate's skull to

A) allow the draining of cerebrospinal fluid.
B) prevent calcium deposits from damaging cartilage.
C) allow the head to pass through the mother's birth canal.
D) prevent any damage due to toxoplasmosis.

Question 46

During the first few days, some neonates are very hairy because some of the ________, a fuzzy prenatal hair on the shoulders, back, forehead, and cheeks, has not yet fallen off.

A) vernix
B) fontanel
C) meconium
D) lanugo

Question 47

When a baby's head is turned to one side, one arm extends and one bends back, as if the baby were getting ready to fire an arrow. This is known as the ________ reflex.

A) Moro
B) tonic neck
C) rooting
D) palmar grasp

Question 48

________ is a stringy, greenish-black waste matter formed in the fetal intestinal tract.

A) Colostrum
B) Meconium
C) Lanugo
D) Vernix caseosa

Question 49

In the context of the physical characteristics of newborns, which of the following is true of the body systems of newborns?

A) A neonate's heartbeat is slow and regular, and blood pressure stabilizes soon after delivery.
B) Babies have the same lung capacity as adults.
C) Babies do not urinate regularly, and the volume of urine is less than the food intake.
D) Neonates maintain body temperature by increasing their activity when air temperature drops.

Question 50

Neonatal jaundice is caused by the

A) incomplete development of the pulmonary system.
B) failure of the liver to filter out bilirubin during the first days of life.
C) incomplete development of the respiratory system.
D) inability of the diaphragm to pump air into and out of the lungs.

Question 51

Anthony, a 3-day-old baby, has neonatal jaundice, and his parents are worried. The baby's doctor would most likely inform them that this condition

A) needs to be treated using strong antibiotics.
B) damages the child's immature respiratory system permanently.
C) occurs in about half of all neonates.
D) occurs after the neonatal period elapses.

Question 52

Zoe, a baby girl, is 3 days old, and her skin and eyeballs look yellow. The baby's pediatrician assures the parents that it is not a serious condition and that it is due to the immaturity of Zoe's liver. Zoe is most likely suffering from

A) neonatal jaundice.
B) phenylketonuria.
C) congenital hypothyroidism.
D) galactosemia.

Question 53

Ruth, a neonate, is tested for her reflex response to a catheter in her nostril. The tests are done 1 minute after delivery and then again 5 minutes after birth. She responds by sneezing, and the physician gives her a score of 2. Ruth is most likely being scored on the

A) Denver Developmental Screening Test.
B) Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale.
C) Apgar scale.
D) Ballard Maturational Assessment.

Question 54

Which of the following is true of the Apgar scale?

A) It is a medical and behavioral assessment of a baby that is performed at least a day after birth.
B) It assesses a baby on dimensions such as appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration.
C) It indicates a 5-minute score of 3-5 for a vast majority of babies born in the United States, reflecting their excellent condition.
D) It lacks the ability to assess the severity of a neonate's respiratory immaturity.

Question 55

An Apgar score of 3 indicates that the baby is

A) in excellent condition.
B) functioning within the normal range.
C) functioning at a level that is slightly below normal.
D) at a high risk for neurological damage.

Question 56

In the context of the assessment of newborns, which of the following is true of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale?

A) It is used to identify strengths and vulnerabilities in the neurological functioning of newborns.
B) It takes about 60 minutes, and scores are based on a baby's average performance.
C) It is rarely useful in research applications as it does not predict the future development of a baby.
D) It tests the blood collected via a heelstick from the newborn babies at the hospital.

Question 57

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a(n)

A) form of neonatal jaundice.
B) disorder caused by the deficit of vitamin B in the mother's diet.
C) enzyme disorder characterized by the need for a special diet.
D) disorder that is irreversible even after dietary changes.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is true of infants' sleep patterns?

A) Youngest babies sleep the least.
B) Youngest babies wake up the least frequently.
C) Babies' sleep time decreases by the time they are 2 years old.
D) Babies' sleep schedules vary across cultures.

Question 59

Infant's physiological and behavioral status at a given moment in the periodic daily cycle of wakefulness, sleep, and activity is called

A) temperament.
B) state of arousal.
C) periodic change.
D) mood swing.

Question 60

Cody is a week old. His mother notices that whenever people are around, he often spends a lot of time looking around his room quietly. The state of arousal described here is

A) alert inactivity.
B) active sleep.
C) waking activity.
D) drowsiness.

Question 61

Kayla, a 20-day-old baby, is asleep in her crib. Her caretaker notices that Kayla is having occasional rapid eye movements during her sleep and her muscles are twitching without any major movements. She smiles in her sleep when her caretaker switches on the light. Which of the following states of arousal is Kayla most likely in?

A) alert inactivity
B) drowsiness
C) waking activity
D) irregular sleep

Question 62

Ryan, a 2-week-old baby, is asleep in his crib. His mother notices that he is having irregular breathing and opens his eyes during his sleep. He is showing somewhat active movements and sometimes smiles during his sleep. He sucks breast milk with his eyes closed and gets startled with the slightest noise. Which of the following states of arousal is Ryan most likely in?

A) drowsiness
B) regular sleep
C) waking activity
D) alert inactivity

Question 63

Jada is born 5 days before she was due. She weighs 4 pounds at birth. Jada is most accurately classified as a

A) high-birth-weight baby.
B) premature baby.
C) preterm baby.
D) low-birth-weight baby.

Question 64

Troy is born after the completion of 40 weeks of gestation. He weighs 5 pounds and has a slow fetal growth. He is a ________ infant.

A) full-term
B) preterm
C) postmature
D) small-for-date

Question 65

Who is most likely to have a low-birth-weight baby?

A) Adele, who is 25, is tall, and had one cesarean delivery
B) Bianca, who is 30, does cardio exercises, and has never been pregnant before
C) Carol, who is 20, is pregnant for the first time, and is in good health
D) Dana, who is 33, short, and a smoker

Question 66

________, a method of skin-to-skin contact in which a newborn is laid face down between the mother's breasts for an hour or so at a time after birth, seems to reduce stress on the central nervous system and help with self-regulation of sleep and activity.

A) Kangaroo care
B) Assisted care
C) Swaddling
D) Doula care

Question 67

Helena, a 38-year-old woman, delivered a preterm baby boy a week ago. Though the baby was in a delicate condition, the medical expertise of the NICU team was able to save him. The baby is kept under close observation, and for the last 3 days, Helena is being allowed to hold her baby against her bare chest for limited periods of time. The doctors believe that this will help stabilize the baby's heartbeat and forge strong bonds between Helena and her son. This scenario illustrates

A) doula care.
B) assisted care.
C) swaddling.
D) kangaroo care.

Question 68

Madeline, a 35-year-old woman, is pregnant with her third child. She has completed 42 weeks of gestation but has not experienced any labor pain or contractions. Her doctor performs a cesarean delivery to save the baby. The baby is longer and thinner than other normal babies and has the size of a normal 1-month-old. Madeline's baby is a ________ baby.

A) stillborn
B) preterm
C) postmature
D) low-birth-weight

Question 69

Elizabeth, a pregnant woman, continues her habit of smoking against the advice of her doctor. The fetus is small for its gestational age, and it dies after 20 weeks of gestation. The doctors speculate that poor prenatal nourishment and smoking must have led to the death of the fetus. Elizabeth's baby is termed a ________ baby.

A) postmature
B) small-for-date
C) preterm
D) stillborn

Question 70

Which of the following statements is true about the mother-infant bond?

A) The mother-infant bond develops only after the first few hours of childbirth.
B) Feeding is the most important thing babies get from their mothers.
C) The mother-infant bond takes longer to develop in mothers who use kangaroo care.
D) The mother-infant bond involves the need for maternal closeness and warmth.

Question 71

Experiments by Harlow and his colleagues demonstrated ________ in the process of parental bonding.

A) the importance of the father being present at birth
B) the role of close bodily contact
C) the importance of feeding
D) the role of natural selection

Question 72

In Harlow's experiments, the rhesus monkeys

A) withdrew socially as they were separated from their mothers.
B) developed strong attachments with the wire mother as it provided them with food.
C) spent a majority of their time with the cloth surrogates.
D) spent an equal amount of time with both surrogates, reflecting the equally strong needs of food and contact comfort.