Normal pregnancy: fetal circulation: 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.

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OBG · Normal pregnancy: fetal circulation

Sample item

In fetal circulation, which vessel carries blood with the highest oxygen saturation?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Umbilical vein

The umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta (saturation about 80 per cent). The ductus venosus shunts much of it past the liver to the right atrium and across the foramen ovale to the left heart. Umbilical arteries carry deoxygenated blood to the placenta.

Option by option

  • A. Umbilical vein (correct)

    Correct. The umbilical vein returns the most oxygenated blood from the placenta.

  • B. Ductus arteriosus

    The ductus arteriosus carries mixed, less saturated blood.

  • C. Superior vena cava

    The SVC carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body.

  • D. Umbilical artery

    Umbilical arteries carry the least oxygenated blood back to the placenta.

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, Umbilical vein. The umbilical vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta (saturation about 80 per cent).

Why is "Ductus arteriosus" not the answer?

The ductus arteriosus carries mixed, less saturated blood.

Why is "Superior vena cava" not the answer?

The SVC carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body.

Why is "Umbilical artery" not the answer?

Umbilical arteries carry the least oxygenated blood back to the placenta.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Normal pregnancy: fetal circulation in OBG. The ductus venosus shunts much of it past the liver to the right atrium and across the foramen ovale to the left heart. Umbilical arteries carry deoxygenated blood to the placenta.

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 Normal pregnancy: fetal circulation?

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.