Complications of pregnancy: missed abortion: 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 · Complications of pregnancy: missed abortion

Sample item

A woman at 11 weeks has a brownish discharge, regression of pregnancy symptoms and an ultrasound with a crown-rump length of 8 mm and no cardiac activity. What is the preferred management for a stable woman who wishes non-surgical care?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Mifepristone followed by misoprostol

A crown-rump length of 7 mm or more with no cardiac activity confirms embryonic demise (missed abortion). Medical management with mifepristone and misoprostol, or misoprostol alone, or suction evacuation are options. Prolonged retention risks consumptive coagulopathy and sepsis.

Option by option

  • A. Observation for 6 months

    Waiting for months risks infection and coagulopathy.

  • B. Mifepristone followed by misoprostol (correct)

    Correct. Mifepristone and misoprostol give high complete evacuation rates.

  • C. Hysterectomy

    Hysterectomy is not indicated.

  • D. Oxytocin infusion alone

    Oxytocin alone is ineffective on an unripe uterus at this gestation.

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 B, Mifepristone followed by misoprostol. A crown-rump length of 7 mm or more with no cardiac activity confirms embryonic demise (missed abortion).

Why is "Observation for 6 months" not the answer?

Waiting for months risks infection and coagulopathy.

Why is "Hysterectomy" not the answer?

Hysterectomy is not indicated.

Why is "Oxytocin infusion alone" not the answer?

Oxytocin alone is ineffective on an unripe uterus at this gestation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Complications of pregnancy: missed abortion in OBG. Medical management with mifepristone and misoprostol, or misoprostol alone, or suction evacuation are options. Prolonged retention risks consumptive coagulopathy and sepsis.

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 Complications of pregnancy: missed abortion?

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.