Preterm labour: 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 · Preterm labour

Sample item

A woman at 29 weeks has regular contractions and the cervix is 3 cm dilated with intact membranes. Which intervention most improves the baby's outcome?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Antenatal corticosteroids

Antenatal corticosteroids mature the fetal lungs and reduce respiratory distress, intraventricular haemorrhage and neonatal death in babies born preterm. Tocolytics may delay delivery briefly to allow steroids to act, but they do not by themselves improve outcome. Bed rest has no proven benefit.

Option by option

  • A. Antenatal corticosteroids (correct)

    Correct. They improve neonatal survival and lung function.

  • B. Prophylactic antibiotics for intact membranes

    Antibiotics in preterm labour with intact membranes do not improve neonatal outcomes.

  • C. Prolonged maintenance tocolysis

    Prolonged tocolysis has not been shown to improve neonatal outcomes.

  • D. Strict bed rest

    Bed rest does not prevent preterm birth.

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, Antenatal corticosteroids. Antenatal corticosteroids mature the fetal lungs and reduce respiratory distress, intraventricular haemorrhage and neonatal death in babies born preterm.

Why is "Prophylactic antibiotics for intact membranes" not the answer?

Antibiotics in preterm labour with intact membranes do not improve neonatal outcomes.

Why is "Prolonged maintenance tocolysis" not the answer?

Prolonged tocolysis has not been shown to improve neonatal outcomes.

Why is "Strict bed rest" not the answer?

Bed rest does not prevent preterm birth.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Preterm labour in OBG. Tocolytics may delay delivery briefly to allow steroids to act, but they do not by themselves improve outcome. Bed rest has no proven benefit.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Preterm labour?

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.