When the lower pole of the uterus is grasped with the right hand and facing the woman's head, it is known as?

Appeared in: HPSSC - 2015

Explanation

The maneuver described—grasping the lower uterine pole with one hand while facing the woman's head—is the specific technique for Pawlik's maneuver.
This is also known as the third Leopold's maneuver, a key component of antenatal physical assessment.
Its primary purpose is to determine the fetal presenting part (which can be the head or buttocks/breech) and to assess if that part is engaged (fixed in the pelvis) or still mobile.

Option A: This is not a standard or recognized term for any of the four Leopold's maneuvers used in obstetric assessment.
Option C: This is a very general term. While Pawlik's maneuver is a type of palpation near the pelvis, 'Pelvic palpation' is not the specific name for this procedure.
Option D: This option is incorrect because 'Pawlik's maneuver' is the precise medical term for the action described in the question and shown in the image.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Leopold's Maneuvers (Obstetric Palpation) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Leopold's maneuvers are a fundamental, non-invasive nursing assessment to determine fetal lie, presentation, attitude, and engagement before and during labor.
The findings help the nurse anticipate the labor process, plan for potential complications (e.g., breech presentation, malposition), and correctly place the external fetal heart monitor on the area of the fetal back for the clearest signal.
What if? If, during Pawlik's maneuver, the presenting part feels soft, bulky, and irregular instead of hard and round, the nurse should suspect a breech presentation. This would require notifying the provider, preparing for potential ultrasound confirmation, and planning for a possible cesarean section or specialized vaginal delivery.

How to Approach the Question

This is a recall-based question that tests your knowledge of specific obstetric terminology.
First, analyze the keywords in the stem: 'grasped', 'lower pole of the uterus', 'right hand' (implying one hand), and 'facing the woman's head'.
Recall the four Leopold's maneuvers and their specific techniques.
The first and second maneuvers involve facing the woman's head but use two hands.
The fourth maneuver involves facing the woman's feet.
The third maneuver (Pawlik's grip) is the only one that matches all the keywords: facing the head and using one hand to grasp the lower uterine segment.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Leopold's Maneuvers (Obstetric Palpation)
Stem keywords: lower pole of the uterus, grasped, right hand, facing the woman's head
Lead-in keywords: known as
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Midwifery Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Sandeep Kaur p. 16-24

Practise the full HPSSC - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.