Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 92%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
A pregnant woman at 37 weeks of gestation has had ruptured membranes for 26 hours. A cesarean section is performed for failure to progress. The fetal heart rate (FHR) before birth is 180 beats per minute with limited variability. At birth, the newborn has Apgar scores of 6 and 7 at 1 and 5 minutes and is noted to be pale and tachypneic.Based on the maternal history, what is the most likely cause of this newborn's distress?
Correct answer
C
Rationale
Sepsis is the most likely cause due to the prolonged rupture of membranes, which increases infection risk, leading to symptoms like high FHR, low Apgar scores, pallor, and tachypnea. Hypoglycemia doesn't explain these symptoms; phrenic nerve injury is rare and unilateral; meconium aspiration typically involves low FHR and cyanosis.