Embryology Practice Test 5
Embryology NCLEX Practice Test
Embryology is a key topic within the NCLEX test plan, located under Nursing Science → Clinical Foundations → Embryology. This section traces development and congenital variations relevant to neonatal and maternal nursing care. Each test contains 50 questions designed to mirror the difficulty and variety of the real exam.
This is the 5th part of the Embryology series. To explore all practice tests under this topic, use the “Back to Main Topic” button at the end of the page.
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In the Embryology Study Cards section, shared by real NCLEX candidates, you’ll find concise summaries and high-yield insights related to the most tested concepts. It’s a perfect space to reinforce challenging topics and sharpen your recall through quick, focused repetitions. Short, powerful, and repeatable!
Embryology Practice Test 5
First cell of human body is ...?
- Zygote
- Sperm
- RBC
- Egg
Explanation: Answer reason: This first cell then undergoes cleavage divisions to form the morula and blastocyst and ultimately all embryonic and fetal tissues. Sperm and egg are gametes (haploid) and are necessary for conception but are not the first cell of the new human individual. RBCs appear later as differentiated cells during hematopoiesis and therefore cannot be the first cell.
The fertilized egg is called?
- Embryo
- Zygote
- Fetus
- Blastocyst
Explanation: Answer reason: That stage is defined as the zygote, representing the earliest diploid conceptus. “Embryo” is used after the zygote begins dividing and developing through early organ formation, and “fetus” applies later after organogenesis. “Blastocyst” is a later preimplantation stage (typically around day 5) characterized by a fluid-filled cavity and distinct inner cell mass.
Placenta mainly forms from?
- Yolk sac
- Chorion
- Amnion
- Allantois
Explanation: Answer reason: These villi invade and interface with the maternal decidua basalis to establish uteroplacental circulation. The amnion mainly forms the amniotic sac and does not contribute substantially to placental tissue. The yolk sac and allantois have important early embryonic roles (e.g., hematopoiesis and vessel development), but they are not the principal tissue forming the placenta.
Placenta develops from which week?
- 1st week
- 2nd week
- 4th week
- 8th week
Explanation: Answer reason: In the second week, the trophoblast forms cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast, and chorionic villi and lacunar networks start establishing the maternal–fetal exchange interface. These early villous structures are the foundation of the definitive placenta, even though maturation continues through the first trimester. Options like the 4th or 8th week are too late because key placental structures and uteroplacental circulation are initiated earlier during implantation-related events.
Fetal part of placenta is?
- Chorion frondosum
- Decidua basalis
- Decidua capsularis
- Myometrium
Explanation: Answer reason: The fetal component develops from the chorionic villi, which proliferate in the region called the chorion frondosum and form the villous tree for exchange. The maternal component is the decidua basalis (modified endometrium beneath the implantation site), making it a key distractor but not the fetal part. Decidua capsularis covers the conceptus toward the uterine cavity, and the myometrium is uterine muscle, neither of which constitutes the fetal placental tissue.
A pregnant client tells the clinic nurse that she wants to know the sex of her baby as soon as it can be determined. The nurse informs the client that she should be able to find out the sex at 12 weeks’ gestation because of which factor?
- The appearance of the fetal external genitalia
- The beginning of differentiation in the fetal groin
- The fetal testes are descended into the scrotal sac
- The internal differences in males and females become apparent
Explanation: Answer reason: Around 12 weeks, the genital tubercle and associated external structures show sex-specific development that becomes visually distinguishable. Testicular descent occurs much later in gestation, so it cannot explain determining sex at 12 weeks. Internal duct differences begin earlier but are not the practical basis for early clinical determination compared with visible external anatomy.
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