What is the term for the typical sequence of fetal positions as it descends through the pelvis during labor?

• A. Cardinal movements of labor
• B. Engagement
• C. Flexion
• D. Descent

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the cardinal movements of labor, which describe the orderly changes the fetal presenting part undergoes as it travels through the birth canal. This term captures the whole sequence rather than a single step. As labor progresses, the presenting part engages, descends, flexes to a smaller diameter, rotates internally to align with the pelvis, extends to pass under the pubic symphysis, then externally rotates for proper alignment of the body, followed by expulsion of the rest of the fetus. The other terms refer to individual steps within that sequence—engagement is the entry into the pelvis, descent is just one part of the progression, and flexion is a single maneuver—so they don’t convey the full, coordinated pattern the body follows during labor.