Labour: partograph: practice question

A OBG 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.

Try it

OBG · Labour: partograph

Sample item

On a WHO partograph, a woman in the active phase has cervical dilatation plotted. The action line is drawn how many hours to the right of the alert line, and what does crossing it mean?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Four hours; the labour is progressing too slowly and needs assessment and intervention

The alert line starts at 4 cm dilatation and represents a rate of 1 cm per hour. The action line is parallel and 4 hours to the right. Crossing the alert line prompts closer monitoring and review, while crossing the action line indicates the need for a decision, such as augmentation or delivery, after assessing the cause (power, passage, passenger).

Option by option

  • A. Four hours; the labour is progressing too slowly and needs assessment and intervention (correct)

    Correct. A four-hour gap separates the alert and action lines.

  • B. Eight hours; labour is normal

    Crossing the action line signals slow progress and needs action.

  • C. Two hours; amniotomy is contraindicated

    The interval is four hours, and amniotomy is a standard intervention in slow labour.

  • D. One hour; she should have an immediate caesarean section

    Caesarean is not automatic when the line is crossed; assessment comes first.

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.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is A, Four hours; the labour is progressing too slowly and needs assessment and intervention. The alert line starts at 4 cm dilatation and represents a rate of 1 cm per hour.

Why is "Eight hours; labour is normal" not the answer?

Crossing the action line signals slow progress and needs action.

Why is "Two hours; amniotomy is contraindicated" not the answer?

The interval is four hours, and amniotomy is a standard intervention in slow labour.

Why is "One hour; she should have an immediate caesarean section" not the answer?

Caesarean is not automatic when the line is crossed; assessment comes first.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Labour: partograph in OBG. The action line is parallel and 4 hours to the right. Crossing the alert line prompts closer monitoring and review, while crossing the action line indicates the need for a decision, such as augmentation or delivery, after assessing the cause (power, passage, passenger).

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 Labour: partograph?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG 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.