North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

In which abdominal quadrant is the uterus located after three months of pregnancy?

1. Upper quadrants

2. Lower quadrants

3. Central region

4. Peripheral regions

The correct answer is: Lower quadrants

During the first trimester of pregnancy, specifically around three months in, the uterus undergoes significant changes as it begins to grow and expand to accommodate the developing fetus. At this stage, the uterus typically rises above the pelvic brim and enters the abdominal cavity. As a result, the uterus is primarily located in the lower abdominal quadrants. The expansion of the uterus pushes it into these lower quadrants as it moves away from its original position in the pelvis. By three months, most of the uterus may still be positioned predominantly in the lower quadrants, making this the best answer. The other regions, such as the upper quadrants or central region, do not accurately describe the uterine position at this gestational age, as it has not yet ascended significantly into those areas. The term "peripheral regions" is also not specific to the standard anatomy of the abdomen and does not accurately reflect the location of the uterus during this stage of pregnancy. Therefore, indicating that the uterus resides in the lower quadrants aligns with the anatomical positioning observed at this point in gestation.