Induction of labor indications and methods — MCQs

A 36-year-old primigravid woman at 26 weeks' gestation comes to the physician complaining of absent fetal movements for the last 2 days. Pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasonography 14 weeks earlier. She has no vaginal bleeding or discharge. She has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus controlled with insulin. Vital signs are all within the normal limits. Pelvic examination shows a soft, 2-cm long cervix in the midline with a cervical os measuring 3 cm and a uterus consistent in size with 24 weeks' gestation. Transvaginal ultrasonography shows a fetus with no cardiac activity. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 30-year-old G3P0 woman who is 28 weeks pregnant presents for a prenatal care visit. She reports occasionally feeling her baby move but has not kept count over the past couple weeks. She denies any bleeding, loss of fluid, or contractions. Her previous pregnancies resulted in spontaneous abortions at 12 and 14 weeks. She works as a business executive, has been in excellent health, and has had no surgeries. She states that she hired a nutritionist and pregnancy coach to ensure good prospects for this pregnancy. On physical exam, fetal heart tones are not detected. Abdominal ultrasound shows a 24-week fetal demise. The patient requests an autopsy on the fetus and wishes for the fetus to pass "as naturally as possible." What is the best next step in management?

A student health coordinator plans on leading a campus-wide HIV screening program that will be free for the entire undergraduate student body. The goal is to capture as many correct HIV diagnoses as possible with the fewest false positives. The coordinator consults with the hospital to see which tests are available to use for this program. Test A has a sensitivity of 0.92 and a specificity of 0.99. Test B has a sensitivity of 0.95 and a specificity of 0.96. Test C has a sensitivity of 0.98 and a specificity of 0.93. Which of the following testing schemes should the coordinator pursue?

A 25-year-old G1P0 at 20 weeks of gestation woman arrives at a prenatal appointment complaining of pelvic pressure. She has had an uncomplicated pregnancy thus far. She takes prenatal vitamins and eats a well-balanced diet. Her medical history is significant for major depressive disorder that has been well-controlled on citalopram. Her mother had gestational diabetes with each of her 3 pregnancies. On physical exam, the cervix is soft and closed with minimal effacement. There is white vaginal discharge within the vagina and vaginal vault without malodor. Vaginal pH is 4.3. A transvaginal ultrasound measures the length of the cervix as 20 mm. Which of the following is most likely to prevent preterm birth in this patient?

A 30-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 38 weeks' gestation comes to the hospital for regular, painful contractions that have been increasing in frequency. Her pregnancy has been complicated by gestational diabetes treated with insulin. Pelvic examination shows the cervix is 50% effaced and 4 cm dilated; the vertex is at -1 station. Ultrasonography shows no abnormalities. A tocometer and Doppler fetal heart monitor are placed on the patient's abdomen. The fetal heart rate monitoring strip shows a baseline heart rate of 145/min with a variability of ≥ 15/min. Within a 20-minute recording, there are 7 uterine contractions, 4 accelerations, and 3 decelerations that have a nadir occurring within half a minute. The decelerations occur at differing intervals relative to the contractions. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 29-year-old G2P1 at 35 weeks gestation presents to the obstetric emergency room with vaginal bleeding and severe lower back pain. She reports the acute onset of these symptoms 1 hour ago while she was outside playing with her 4-year-old son. Her prior birthing history is notable for an emergency cesarean section during her first pregnancy. She received appropriate prenatal care during both pregnancies. She has a history of myomectomy for uterine fibroids. Her past medical history is notable for diabetes mellitus. She takes metformin. Her temperature is 99.0°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 104/68 mmHg, pulse is 120/min, and respirations are 20/min. On physical examination, the patient is in moderate distress. Large blood clots are removed from the vaginal vault. Contractions are occurring every 2 minutes. Delayed decelerations are noted on fetal heart monitoring. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 32-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 38 weeks' gestation comes to the emergency department because of vaginal bleeding for the past hour. The patient reports that she felt contractions prior to the onset of the bleeding, but the contractions stopped after the bleeding started. She also has severe abdominal pain. Her first child was delivered by lower segment transverse cesarean section because of a nonreassuring fetal heart rate. Her pulse is 110/min, respirations are 17/min, and blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg. Examination shows diffuse abdominal tenderness with no rebound or guarding; no contractions are felt. The fetal heart rate shows recurrent variable decelerations. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 37-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, at 35 weeks' gestation is brought to the emergency department for the evaluation of continuous, dark, vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain for one hour. Her first child was delivered by lower segment transverse cesarean section because of a nonreassuring fetal heart rate. The patient has a history of hypertension and has been noncompliant with her hypertensive regimen. Her medications include methyldopa, folic acid, and a multivitamin. Her pulse is 90/min, respirations are 16/min, and blood pressure is 145/90 mm Hg. The abdomen is tender, and hypertonic contractions can be felt. There is blood on the vulva, the introitus, and on the medial aspect of both thighs. The fetus is in a breech presentation. The fetal heart rate is 180/min with recurrent decelerations. Which of the following is the cause of fetal compromise?

A 34-year-old G3P2 is admitted to the hospital after being physically assaulted by her husband. She developed severe vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain. She is at 30 weeks gestation. Her previous pregnancies were uncomplicated, as has been the course of the current pregnancy. The vital signs are as follows: blood pressure, 80/50 mmHg; heart rate, 117/min and irregular; respiratory rate, 20/min; and temperature, 36.2℃ (97.1). The fetal heart rate is 103/min. On physical examination, the patient is pale and lethargic. Abdominal palpation reveals severe uterine tenderness and tetanic contractions. The perineum is grossly bloody. There are no vaginal or cervical lesions. There is active heavy bleeding with blood clots passing through the cervix. An ultrasound shows a retroplacental hematoma with a volume of approximately 400 ml. Laboratory workup shows the following findings: Red blood cells count: 3.0 millions/mL Hb%: 7.2 g/dL Platelet count: 61,000/mm3 Prothrombin time: 310 seconds (control 20 seconds) Partial prothrombin time: 420 seconds Serum fibrinogen: 16 mg/dL Elevated levels of which of the following laboratory markers is characteristic for this patient’s complication?

A 30-year-old primigravida schedules an appointment with her obstetrician for a regular check-up. She says that everything is fine, although she reports that her baby has stopped moving as much as previously. She is 22 weeks gestation. She denies any pain or vaginal bleeding. The obstetrician performs an ultrasound and also orders routine blood and urine tests. On ultrasound, there is no fetal cardiac activity or movement. The patient is asked to wait for 1 hour, after which the scan is to be repeated. The second scan shows the same findings. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?