Neonatology (care of newborns) MCQs

1. What is the most common cause of neonatal respiratory distress?
A) Pneumonia
B) Respiratory Distress Syndrome
C) Congenital Heart Disease
D) Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Answer: B) Respiratory Distress Syndrome


2. What is the normal range for a newborn’s heart rate?
A) 60-100 bpm
B) 100-160 bpm
C) 160-200 bpm
D) 200-240 bpm

Answer: B) 100-160 bpm


3. Which of the following is a common sign of jaundice in newborns?
A) Pallor
B) Cyanosis
C) Yellowing of the skin
D) Rashes

Answer: C) Yellowing of the skin


4. At what age should a newborn first pass meconium?
A) Within 24 hours
B) Within 48 hours
C) Within 72 hours
D) Within 96 hours

Answer: A) Within 24 hours


5. What is the recommended initial treatment for hypoglycemia in a newborn?
A) Insulin administration
B) Oral glucose
C) Intravenous fluids
D) Sodium bicarbonate

Answer: B) Oral glucose


6. What is the most common method for assessing a newborn’s gestational age?
A) Apgar score
B) Ballard score
C) Birth weight
D) Head circumference

Answer: B) Ballard score


7. What is the primary purpose of administering vitamin K to newborns?
A) To prevent anemia
B) To prevent bleeding disorders
C) To enhance bone growth
D) To prevent jaundice

Answer: B) To prevent bleeding disorders


8. Which condition is characterized by a “grunting” sound during respiration in a newborn?
A) Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
B) Respiratory Distress Syndrome
C) Patent Ductus Arteriosus
D) Cystic Fibrosis

Answer: B) Respiratory Distress Syndrome


9. How often should a newborn be fed in the first few days of life?
A) Every 2-3 hours
B) Every 4-5 hours
C) Every 6-8 hours
D) Every 10-12 hours

Answer: A) Every 2-3 hours


10. What is the main purpose of the Apgar score?
A) To evaluate the newborn’s feeding ability
B) To assess the newborn’s overall health and vital signs
C) To determine the gestational age
D) To check for congenital abnormalities

Answer: B) To assess the newborn’s overall health and vital signs


11. What is the most common congenital heart defect in newborns?
A) Atrial Septal Defect
B) Ventricular Septal Defect
C) Patent Ductus Arteriosus
D) Tetralogy of Fallot

Answer: B) Ventricular Septal Defect


12. Which screening test is routinely performed to detect phenylketonuria (PKU) in newborns?
A) Heel prick test
B) Blood pressure test
C) Urine test
D) Ultrasound

Answer: A) Heel prick test


13. What is the primary treatment for hyperbilirubinemia in newborns?
A) Phototherapy
B) Antibiotics
C) Blood transfusion
D) Surgery

Answer: A) Phototherapy


14. At what age should a newborn be screened for hearing loss?
A) Within the first 24 hours
B) Within the first week
C) Within the first month
D) Within the first three months

Answer: B) Within the first week


15. Which of the following is a sign of sepsis in a newborn?
A) Hyperthermia
B) Hypothermia
C) Increased appetite
D) High blood pressure

Answer: B) Hypothermia


16. What is the primary cause of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome?
A) Prematurity
B) Maternal diabetes
C) Maternal hypertension
D) Intrauterine growth restriction

Answer: A) Prematurity


17. What is the most important aspect of newborn care in the first hour of life?
A) Establishing feeding
B) Performing a physical examination
C) Ensuring thermal stability
D) Administering vaccinations

Answer: C) Ensuring thermal stability


18. What is the recommended position for a newborn during sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
A) Prone position
B) Supine position
C) Lateral position
D) Sitting position

Answer: B) Supine position


19. What condition is characterized by the absence of the normal respiratory effort in a newborn?
A) Apnea of Prematurity
B) Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
C) Neonatal Rashes
D) Hypoglycemia

Answer: A) Apnea of Prematurity


20. What is the purpose of administering surfactant to premature infants?
A) To prevent infection
B) To improve lung function
C) To enhance blood clotting
D) To manage jaundice

Answer: B) To improve lung function


21. What is the most common cause of hypotonia in a newborn?
A) Birth trauma
B) Intrauterine infection
C) Down syndrome
D) Prematurity

Answer: D) Prematurity


22. What is the typical range for a newborn’s birth weight?
A) 2-3 pounds
B) 5-10 pounds
C) 10-15 pounds
D) 15-20 pounds

Answer: B) 5-10 pounds


23. What condition may require the use of an incubator in a newborn?
A) Hyperthermia
B) Hyperbilirubinemia
C) Hypothermia
D) Hyperglycemia

Answer: C) Hypothermia


24. Which of the following is an indication for performing a newborn screening test?
A) Presence of congenital anomalies
B) Detection of metabolic disorders
C) Monitoring growth patterns
D) Assessing developmental milestones

Answer: B) Detection of metabolic disorders


25. What is a common complication of untreated hyperbilirubinemia?
A) Neurological damage
B) Respiratory distress
C) Cardiac arrhythmias
D) Gastrointestinal bleeding

Answer: A) Neurological damage


26. What is the most common method for assessing a newborn’s gestational age?
A) Birth weight
B) Head circumference
C) Ballard score
D) Apgar score

Answer: C) Ballard score


27. What condition is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity of a newborn?
A) Hydrocephalus
B) Pleural Effusion
C) Ascites
D) Edema

Answer: B) Pleural Effusion


28. What is the primary goal of resuscitation in a newborn?
A) To stabilize the heart rate
B) To ensure adequate oxygenation
C) To manage blood pressure
D) To correct electrolyte imbalances

Answer: B) To ensure adequate oxygenation


29. What is the recommended treatment for a newborn with a congenital hypothyroidism diagnosis?
A) Surgery
B) Thyroid hormone replacement therapy
C) Antihypertensive medication
D) Antiviral medication

Answer: B) Thyroid hormone replacement therapy


30. Which of the following is a sign of neonatal abstinence syndrome?
A) Excessive sleepiness
B) High fever
C) Irritability and tremors
D) Hyperactivity

Answer: C) Irritability and tremors


31. At what weight is a newborn considered low birth weight?
A) Less than 5 pounds
B) Less than 4 pounds
C) Less than 3 pounds
D) Less than 2 pounds

Answer: A) Less than 5 pounds


32. What condition may be indicated by a bulging fontanelle in a newborn?
A) Dehydration
B) Meningitis
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Respiratory distress

Answer: B) Meningitis


33. What is a common complication of premature rupture of membranes (PROM)?
A) Neonatal infection
B) Jaundice
C) Hyperbilirubinemia
D) Neonatal hypoglycemia

Answer: A) Neonatal infection


34. What is the initial management step for a newborn with a suspected congenital diaphragmatic hernia?
A) Immediate surgery
B) Providing respiratory support
C) Administering antibiotics
D) Performing a chest X-ray

Answer: B) Providing respiratory support


35. Which of the following is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
A) Sleeping in the supine position
B) Parental smoking
C) Exclusive breastfeeding
D) Use of a pacifier

Answer: B) Parental smoking


36. What is the primary benefit of early initiation of breastfeeding for a newborn?
A) Increased risk of jaundice
B) Enhanced bonding with the mother
C) Decreased risk of infection
D) Reduced risk of birth defects

Answer: C) Decreased risk of infection


37. What is the most common cause of hyperglycemia in a newborn?
A) Neonatal diabetes
B) Birth trauma
C) Premature birth
D) Maternal diabetes

Answer: D) Maternal diabetes


38. What is the typical frequency of monitoring blood glucose levels in a newborn with hypoglycemia?
A) Every 30 minutes
B) Every hour
C) Every 2 hours
D) Every 4 hours

Answer: A) Every 30 minutes


39. What is a common sign of necrotizing enterocolitis in a premature newborn?
A) Diarrhea
B) Abdominal distention
C) Rapid breathing
D) Excessive weight gain

Answer: B) Abdominal distention


40. What is the most common cause of convulsions in a newborn?
A) Intrauterine infection
B) Hypoglycemia
C) Birth trauma
D) Seizure disorder

Answer: B) Hypoglycemia


41. What is the primary purpose of administering prophylactic antibiotics to a newborn?
A) To prevent neonatal infections
B) To manage jaundice
C) To support lung function
D) To enhance bone density

Answer: A) To prevent neonatal infections


42. What is the most common type of bilirubin that causes jaundice in a newborn?
A) Conjugated bilirubin
B) Unconjugated bilirubin
C) Direct bilirubin
D) Indirect bilirubin

Answer: B) Unconjugated bilirubin


43. Which of the following is a common practice to prevent hypothermia in newborns?
A) Placing the baby in a warm room
B) Using a heated blanket
C) Swaddling the baby
D) All of the above

Answer: D) All of the above


44. What is the most common genetic disorder screened for in newborns?
A) Down syndrome
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Sickle cell disease
D) Tay-Sachs disease

Answer: C) Sickle cell disease


45. What is the initial management step for a newborn with suspected sepsis?
A) Administering oral antibiotics
B) Performing a blood culture
C) Providing supportive care
D) Administering intravenous antibiotics

Answer: D) Administering intravenous antibiotics


46. Which of the following is a common sign of a congenital heart defect in a newborn?
A) High blood pressure
B) Cyanosis
C) Excessive weight gain
D) Rapid weight loss

Answer: B) Cyanosis


47. What is the purpose of administering surfactant to preterm infants?
A) To reduce respiratory distress
B) To treat jaundice
C) To manage hyperglycemia
D) To prevent infections

Answer: A) To reduce respiratory distress


48. What is a common sign of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in a newborn?
A) Persistent murmur
B) Rapid weight gain
C) Excessive crying
D) Decreased appetite

Answer: A) Persistent murmur


49. What is the recommended position for a newborn with suspected hip dysplasia?
A) Supine position
B) Prone position
C) Flexed and abducted legs
D) Extended legs

Answer: C) Flexed and abducted legs


50. What is the most common cause of an asymmetrical cry in a newborn?
A) Birth trauma
B) Infection
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Respiratory distress

Answer: A) Birth trauma