Which option describes the step that immediately follows clamping and cutting the umbilical cord in a normal delivery?

• A. Deliver remainder of the baby
• B. Deliver placenta
• C. Suction mouth and nose
• D. Puncture the amniotic sac

Answer: (B)

After the baby is born and the cord is clamped and cut, the next step is to deliver the placenta—the third stage of labor. The uterus continues to contract, the placenta separates from the uterine wall, and it’s expelled, often with gentle cord traction and uterine massage to help it along. Suctioning the mouth and nose is done right after the infant is born, not after placental delivery. Puncturing the amniotic sac isn’t part of the normal sequence in a typical delivery.