Medical disorders in pregnancy: viral hepatitis E: 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 · Medical disorders in pregnancy: viral hepatitis E

Sample item

A woman at 32 weeks in a flood-affected area presents with jaundice and encephalopathy. Which infection carries a particularly high maternal mortality (up to 20 to 25 per cent) in the third trimester?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is waterborne and causes fulminant hepatic failure in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, with high maternal and fetal mortality. Management is supportive, with early delivery considered for deteriorating cases. Hepatitis A is rarely severe.

Option by option

  • A. Hepatitis C

    Hepatitis C is chronic and rarely causes acute failure.

  • B. Hepatitis A

    Hepatitis A usually has a benign course.

  • C. Cytomegalovirus

    CMV rarely causes fulminant hepatitis in immunocompetent mothers.

  • D. Hepatitis E (correct)

    Correct. Fulminant hepatitis E is typical of third-trimester pregnancy.

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 D, Hepatitis E. Hepatitis E is waterborne and causes fulminant hepatic failure in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, with high maternal and fetal mortality.

Why is "Hepatitis C" not the answer?

Hepatitis C is chronic and rarely causes acute failure.

Why is "Hepatitis A" not the answer?

Hepatitis A usually has a benign course.

Why is "Cytomegalovirus" not the answer?

CMV rarely causes fulminant hepatitis in immunocompetent mothers.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical disorders in pregnancy: viral hepatitis E in OBG. Management is supportive, with early delivery considered for deteriorating cases. Hepatitis A is rarely severe.

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 Medical disorders in pregnancy: viral hepatitis E?

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.