C-EFM VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -
LATEST VERSION 2026
1. What is the paper speed used with EFM in North America? a.
1cm/min b. 2cm/min c. 3cm/min
ANSWER : c. 3cm/min
2. What does the US transducer on the EFM measure? a. Electrical signal
of the fetal heart b. Mechanical movement of the fetal heart reflected off of
sound waves c. R to R intervals of the fetal heart
ANSWER : b. Mechanical movement of the fetal heart reflected off of
sound waves
3. What is the purpose of the autocorrelation in external monitoring?
a. Compare incoming waveforms for comparison b. Decrease signal to noise
levels c. Distinguish fetal from maternal heart rate
ANSWER : a. Compare incoming waveforms for comparison
4. The area of maximum intensity of FHR is usually the fetal ______? a.
Back b. Chest c. Umbilicus
ANSWER : a. Back
5. Palpating the uterus is best performed by using the ______? a. Back of
hand b. Fingertips c. Palm
ANSWER : b. Fingertips
,6. What is the most sensitive method of assessing uterine activity? a.
Intrauterine pressure catheter b. Manual palpation c. Maternal perception
ANSWER : a. Intrauterine pressure catheter
7. When educating the patient about fetal monitoring, what is the
most appropriate statement? a. A normal tracing indicates that your baby
is well-oxygenated b. A normal tracing indicates that you have a healthy
baby c. Continuous fetal monitoring will insure a better outcome for your
baby
ANSWER : a. A normal tracing indicates that your baby is well-
oxygenated
8. In comparison to maternal blood, what is the affinity of fetal blood
for oxygen? a. Higher b. Lower c. The same
ANSWER : a. Higher
9. The process that requires energy to accomplish the passage of
substances within the intervillous space is ______? a. Active transport b.
Diffusion c. Facilitated diffusion
ANSWER : a. Active transport
10. What does the umbilical vein carry? a. Carbon dioxide from the fetus
back to the placenta b. Deoxygenated blood from the fetus to the placenta c.
Oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus
ANSWER : c. Oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus
11. How is fetal hypoxia best described? a. Decreased oxygen in the
blood b. Decreased oxygen in the tissue c. Increased hydrogen ions in the
blood
ANSWER : b. Decreased oxygen in the tissue
, 12. Stimulation of the PNS causes the FHR to ______? a. Decrease b.
Increase c. Remain the same
ANSWER : a. Decrease
13. Chemoreceptors respond mainly to changes in ______? a. Blood
pressure b. Hormonal levels c. Oxygen and CO2 levels
ANSWER : c. Oxygen and CO2 levels
14. The fetus responds to a significant drop of PO2 by ______? a.
Increasing oxygen consumption b. Reducing lactic acid production c.
Shifting blood to vital organs
ANSWER : c. Shifting blood to vital organs
15. Activation of fetal peripheral chemoreceptors results in which
FHR change? a. Decrease b. Increase c. No change
ANSWER : a. Decrease
16. A patient receiving oxytocin has 17 ctx in 30 minutes; according to
the NICHD guidelines, what is this called? a. Hyperstimulation b.
Hypertonus c. Tachysystole
ANSWER : c. Tachysystole
LATEST VERSION 2026
1. What is the paper speed used with EFM in North America? a.
1cm/min b. 2cm/min c. 3cm/min
ANSWER : c. 3cm/min
2. What does the US transducer on the EFM measure? a. Electrical signal
of the fetal heart b. Mechanical movement of the fetal heart reflected off of
sound waves c. R to R intervals of the fetal heart
ANSWER : b. Mechanical movement of the fetal heart reflected off of
sound waves
3. What is the purpose of the autocorrelation in external monitoring?
a. Compare incoming waveforms for comparison b. Decrease signal to noise
levels c. Distinguish fetal from maternal heart rate
ANSWER : a. Compare incoming waveforms for comparison
4. The area of maximum intensity of FHR is usually the fetal ______? a.
Back b. Chest c. Umbilicus
ANSWER : a. Back
5. Palpating the uterus is best performed by using the ______? a. Back of
hand b. Fingertips c. Palm
ANSWER : b. Fingertips
,6. What is the most sensitive method of assessing uterine activity? a.
Intrauterine pressure catheter b. Manual palpation c. Maternal perception
ANSWER : a. Intrauterine pressure catheter
7. When educating the patient about fetal monitoring, what is the
most appropriate statement? a. A normal tracing indicates that your baby
is well-oxygenated b. A normal tracing indicates that you have a healthy
baby c. Continuous fetal monitoring will insure a better outcome for your
baby
ANSWER : a. A normal tracing indicates that your baby is well-
oxygenated
8. In comparison to maternal blood, what is the affinity of fetal blood
for oxygen? a. Higher b. Lower c. The same
ANSWER : a. Higher
9. The process that requires energy to accomplish the passage of
substances within the intervillous space is ______? a. Active transport b.
Diffusion c. Facilitated diffusion
ANSWER : a. Active transport
10. What does the umbilical vein carry? a. Carbon dioxide from the fetus
back to the placenta b. Deoxygenated blood from the fetus to the placenta c.
Oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus
ANSWER : c. Oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus
11. How is fetal hypoxia best described? a. Decreased oxygen in the
blood b. Decreased oxygen in the tissue c. Increased hydrogen ions in the
blood
ANSWER : b. Decreased oxygen in the tissue
, 12. Stimulation of the PNS causes the FHR to ______? a. Decrease b.
Increase c. Remain the same
ANSWER : a. Decrease
13. Chemoreceptors respond mainly to changes in ______? a. Blood
pressure b. Hormonal levels c. Oxygen and CO2 levels
ANSWER : c. Oxygen and CO2 levels
14. The fetus responds to a significant drop of PO2 by ______? a.
Increasing oxygen consumption b. Reducing lactic acid production c.
Shifting blood to vital organs
ANSWER : c. Shifting blood to vital organs
15. Activation of fetal peripheral chemoreceptors results in which
FHR change? a. Decrease b. Increase c. No change
ANSWER : a. Decrease
16. A patient receiving oxytocin has 17 ctx in 30 minutes; according to
the NICHD guidelines, what is this called? a. Hyperstimulation b.
Hypertonus c. Tachysystole
ANSWER : c. Tachysystole