Free Practice Questions for Concours PACES Maïeutique

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Key Facts: Concours PACES Maïeutique Exam

Written

Published assessment mode is written and varies by teaching unit

Faculté de Médecine d'Antananarivo

10/20

Published UE8 credit-validation threshold, not a standalone L2 selection cutoff

Official UE8 outline

Questions in this independent practice bank

OpenExamPrep

This is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation for the real end-of-PACES Maïeutique ranking at the Université d'Antananarivo. It does not claim to reproduce the official language, paper layout, or full performance demands.

Sample Concours PACES Maïeutique Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Concours PACES Maïeutique exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 72+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1During female gametogenesis, at which specific stage of cell division are primary oocytes arrested during embryonic development until puberty?

A.Metaphase of meiosis I

B.Prophase of meiosis I (diplotene stage)

C.Metaphase of meiosis II

D.Telophase of meiosis II

Explanation: Primary oocytes begin meiosis during fetal life and arrest at the diplotene (dictyate) stage of prophase I around the fifth month of intrauterine development. They remain arrested in this state until stimulated by the pre-ovulatory LH surge starting at puberty.

2At ovulation, the mature secondary oocyte is released from the dominant follicle arrested in which phase of division, and what triggers the completion of this division?

A.Prophase II, completed upon entry into the ampulla of the uterine tube

B.Metaphase I, completed upon expulsion of the follicular fluid

C.Metaphase II, completed upon penetration of a fertilizing spermatozoon

D.Anaphase II, completed upon contact with the endometrial glycocalyx

Explanation: The secondary oocyte is arrested at metaphase of meiosis II at the time of ovulation. It completes meiosis II only when fertilization occurs, triggered by the intracellular calcium wave induced by the fertilizing sperm, leading to extrusion of the second polar body.

3Which type of epithelium lines the lumen of the Fallopian tube (oviduct) and directly facilitates the transport of the ovum and early embryo?

A.Simple columnar epithelium with ciliated cells and secretory peg cells

B.Stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium

C.Simple cuboidal epithelium with prominent brush border

D.Pseudostratified columnar epithelium with stereocilia

Explanation: The tubal mucosa (endosalpinx) is composed of a simple columnar epithelium consisting of two primary cell types: ciliated cells whose coordinated ciliary beat propels the ovum toward the uterus, and non-ciliated secretory (peg) cells that produce nutrient-rich tubal fluid.

4Which fibrillar collagen represents the predominant structural component of the uterine cervical extracellular matrix, providing mechanical strength that is remodeled prior to labor?

A.Type IV collagen

B.Type II collagen

C.Type VII collagen

D.Type I collagen

Explanation: Type I collagen comprises approximately 70% of the collagen in the human uterine cervix, with type III collagen making up most of the remainder. During cervical ripening, collagen bundles are disorganized and degraded by matrix metalloproteinases, softening the cervix for delivery.

5Which endocrine event directly triggers the mid-cycle surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) that induces ovulation?

A.A sudden drop in systemic progesterone removing negative feedback on gonadotropes

B.Sustained high 17-beta-estradiol concentrations that switch hypothalamic-pituitary feedback from negative to positive

C.Excessive secretion of inhibin A selectively stimulating hypothalamic GnRH pulse frequency

D.Direct autocrine stimulation of pituitary LH receptors by human chorionic gonadotropin

Explanation: As the dominant follicle matures, sustained high estradiol changes its action on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis from negative to positive feedback. This increases gonadotropin-releasing hormone drive and pituitary responsiveness, producing the pre-ovulatory LH surge.

6Which apical intercellular junctional complex establishes the selective paracellular permeability barrier in epithelial sheets?

A.Adherens junctions (zonula adherens)

B.Desmosomes (macula adherens)

C.Tight junctions (zonula occludens)

D.Gap junctions (nexus)

Explanation: Tight junctions (zonula occludens), composed of transmembrane proteins such as claudins and occludin linked to the actin cytoskeleton via ZO-1/2/3, form the continuous apical belt that seals adjacent epithelial cells and regulates paracellular ion and fluid transit.

7What is the genetic and cytoplasmic constitution of the first polar body extruded during female oogenesis?

A.Diploid (46 chromosomes) with equal half of the primary oocyte cytoplasm

B.Tetraploid (92 chromatids) without nuclear membrane

C.Haploid (23 chromosomes, each with 2 sister chromatids) with minimal cytoplasm

D.Haploid (23 single-chromatid chromosomes) with abundant mitochondrial mass

Explanation: Meiosis I completes just before ovulation, dividing the primary oocyte unequally. The secondary oocyte retains nearly all the cytoplasm, while the first polar body receives 23 chromosomes (each consisting of two sister chromatids) encased in a minimal rim of cytoplasm.

8In the two-cell, two-gonadotropin model of ovarian steroidogenesis, which enzyme is expressed exclusively in granulosa cells to synthesize estrogens?

A.17-alpha-hydroxylase

B.Aromatase (CYP19A1)

C.21-hydroxylase

D.11-beta-hydroxylase

Explanation: Under the stimulation of FSH, granulosa cells express aromatase (CYP19A1), which converts androgen precursors (androstenedione and testosterone, synthesized by theca interna cells under LH control) into estrone and 17-beta-estradiol.

9Which high-molecular-weight glycosaminoglycan, lacking sulfate groups, is abundant in Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord and gives it turgidity to prevent vascular compression?

A.Heparan sulfate

B.Chondroitin sulfate

C.Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan)

D.Keratan sulfate

Explanation: Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) is a non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan with enormous water-binding capacity. In Wharton's jelly, it creates high osmotic swelling pressure and turgidity, preventing the umbilical vessels from kinking or being compressed by fetal movements.

10Which histological feature is the definitive hallmark of early post-ovulatory secretory transformation in endometrial glands (cycle day 16-17)?

A.Pseudostratified columnar epithelium with abundant mitotic figures

B.Subnuclear glycogen-rich vacuoles pushing nuclei centrally

C.Extensive stromal granulocyte infiltration with vascular thrombosis

D.Complete breakdown of the functional layer with blood extravasation

Explanation: Subnuclear (basal) glycogen vacuoles in the endometrial glandular epithelium appear 36 to 48 hours after ovulation in response to progesterone. As secretion progresses, these vacuoles migrate to the apical cytoplasm before releasing their contents into the gland lumen.

About the Concours PACES Maïeutique Exam

Independent PACES Maïeutique practice covering retained biomedical, biophysical, anatomical, embryological, and fetoplacental concepts. Use it with current Faculty course materials and notices.

Exam sponsor: Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Antananarivo. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

PACES ends in competitive ranking under numerus clausus, with common teaching units and pathway-specific assessment. The published UE8 shared by medicine, nursing, and midwifery covers upper- and lower-limb osteology and arthrology, basic embryology, and introductory medical imaging, using a written QCU format. Other Faculty materials describe unit-dependent QCM and written questions. The published materials reviewed are in French, but no separate official language rule was found. This English four-option MCQ resource is an independent conceptual adaptation, not an official translation, format simulation, or substitute for diagrammatic or other required work.

Time Limit

No consolidated duration published; the published UE8 combines components in a 1 hour 30 minute written assessment.

Passing Score

Competitive ranking under numerus clausus; 10/20 validates the published UE8 unit credits, but is not by itself a current published L2 selection cutoff.

Exam / Certification Fees

Not published for the end-of-PACES concours; 50,000 Ariary is the separate current L1 dossier pre-registration fee.

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. No current L2 quota or pass-rate percentage was found. The 75-place figure in the 2026 order is the L1 dossier-admission capacity for Maïeutique, not an L2 quota. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Faculty current website and 2026-2027 PACES notice · Source checked 2026-09-24
2026-2027 order governing admission to L1 PACES · Source checked 2026-09-24
Faculty PACES guide · Source checked 2026-09-24
Official UE8 outline for Medicine, Nursing, and Midwifery · Source checked 2026-09-24

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

19 of 72 practice questions

Cell Biology and Histology

Gametogenesis, reproductive cell biology, tissues, genetics, and cell division.

15 of 72 practice questions

Biophysics and Physiology

Ultrasound, epidemiology, hemodynamics, physiology, and statistics.

14 of 72 practice questions

Anatomy and General Pharmacology

General and pelvic anatomy, pharmacokinetics, and placental transport.

24 of 72 practice questions

Embryology and Fetoplacental Biology

Early development, placenta, fetal circulation, membranes, and neonatal transition.

Preparing for the Concours PACES Maïeutique Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Competitive ranking under numerus clausus; 10/20 validates the published UE8 unit credits, but is not by itself a current published L2 selection cutoff.
Assessment: PACES ends in competitive ranking under numerus clausus, with common teaching units and pathway-specific assessment. The published UE8 shared by medicine, nursing, and midwifery covers upper- and lower-limb osteology and arthrology, basic embryology, and introductory medical imaging, using a written QCU format. Other Faculty materials describe unit-dependent QCM and written questions. The published materials reviewed are in French, but no separate official language rule was found. This English four-option MCQ resource is an independent conceptual adaptation, not an official translation, format simulation, or substitute for diagrammatic or other required work.
Time limit: No consolidated duration published; the published UE8 combines components in a 1 hour 30 minute written assessment.
Exam / certification fees: Not published for the end-of-PACES concours; 50,000 Ariary is the separate current L1 dossier pre-registration fee. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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Concours PACES Maïeutique: Suggested Study Strategy

1Use the Faculty's current French materials to learn exact local terminology while using these English questions for concept recall.

2Separate the current L1 dossier rules from the end-of-PACES ranking rules when reviewing administrative information.

3Draw early-development timelines and anatomical relationships instead of relying on MCQ recognition alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a current assessment?

Yes. The Faculty currently lists Maïeutique as a PACES pathway, and its PACES guide describes an end-of-year competitive ranking for L2 progression.

What is the official format?

It is written and unit-dependent. The published shared UE8 uses QCU; other Faculty materials describe QCM and written questions. No mandatory oral, practical, assignment, or case-study concours component was found in the reviewed sources.

What language is the official concours delivered in?

The official materials reviewed are in French, but they do not separately publish a complete permitted delivery or response language rule. This bank is in English and is not an official translation.

Is 75 the L2 quota?

No. The 2026 order's 75-place figure is the capacity for dossier admission into L1 Maïeutique. A current L2 quota was not published in the sources reviewed.

Does this bank simulate the real paper?

No. These four-option MCQs support conceptual review but do not reproduce official QCU/QCM/written formats or substitute for diagrammatic and other course work.