Maternal and child health: calcium supplementation in pregnancy: practice question

A PSM question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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PSM · Maternal and child health: calcium supplementation in pregnancy

Sample item

In the national guidelines, calcium supplementation for pregnant women is given as:

A100 mg once a weekB2 g once daily in the first trimester onlyC500 mg elemental calcium twice daily, starting from the second trimesterDOnly if serum calcium is low

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. 500 mg elemental calcium twice daily, starting from the second trimester

All pregnant women are given 1,000 mg elemental calcium daily in two divided doses of 500 mg, starting from around 14 weeks of pregnancy and continuing through the postpartum period. It lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia and supports maternal bone health.

Option by option

A. 100 mg once a week
100 mg weekly is far too little.
B. 2 g once daily in the first trimester only
A large single dose in the first trimester is not recommended.
C. 500 mg elemental calcium twice daily, starting from the second trimester (correct)
Correct. 500 mg twice daily from the second trimester.
D. Only if serum calcium is low
It is universal supplementation and not dependent on serum levels.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this PSM question

What is the answer to this PSM question?

The best answer is C, 500 mg elemental calcium twice daily, starting from the second trimester. All pregnant women are given 1,000 mg elemental calcium daily in two divided doses of 500 mg, starting from around 14 weeks of pregnancy and continuing through the postpartum period.

Why is "100 mg once a week" not the answer?

100 mg weekly is far too little.

Why is "2 g once daily in the first trimester only" not the answer?

A large single dose in the first trimester is not recommended.

Why is "Only if serum calcium is low" not the answer?

It is universal supplementation and not dependent on serum levels.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Maternal and child health: calcium supplementation in pregnancy in PSM. It lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia and supports maternal bone health.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Maternal and child health: calcium supplementation in pregnancy?

Practise biostatistics with small calculations until sensitivity, predictive values and risk measures are automatic. Then use the flashcards and the other PSM questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.