NLE Family Planning & Population at Risk Reviewer 2026

Answer: B. For the first 6 months of life

Step 1: Recall the DOH IYCF policy's three anchor recommendations. Step 2: The second recommendation states 'Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.' Step 3: 'Exclusive' means breastmilk ONLY — no water, other liquids, or solids (only prescribed vitamins/medicines are allowed). Step 4: Option A (3 months) and C (4 months) are too short and are not consistent with any DOH or WHO guideline. Step 5: Option D (12 months) is incorrect; at 12 months, breastfeeding continues but complementary foods are already introduced starting at 6 months. The correct duration for EXCLUSIVE breastfeeding is 6 months.

Answer: B. Within the first hour of life

Step 1: Early initiation of breastfeeding is the FIRST anchor recommendation of the IYCF policy. Step 2: The DOH and WHO both specify that breastfeeding should be initiated within the FIRST HOUR of life. Step 3: This practice ensures the newborn receives colostrum, which is rich in secretory IgA — the infant's first passive immunity. Step 4: Option A (30 minutes) is a common distractor but is not the correct time frame. Step 5: Options C and D are too late; the 'golden hour' for skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding initiation is within 60 minutes of birth. Remember: within 1 hour = early initiation.

Answer: C. Secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA)

Step 1: Colostrum is the thick, yellowish-orange first milk produced in the first few days after delivery. Step 2: It is extremely rich in secretory IgA (sIgA), which coats the infant's gastrointestinal mucosa and protects against pathogens — making it the infant's 'first vaccine.' Step 3: IgG (Option A) is the primary immunoglobulin transferred via the placenta during pregnancy, not primarily through colostrum. Step 4: IgM (Option B) is produced by the newborn after birth as part of its own immune response. Step 5: IgE (Option D) is associated with allergic responses. The NLE-critical fact is: Colostrum = rich in secretory IgA. Do not discard colostrum — always instruct mothers to give it to their newborns.

Answer: C. 100,000 IU

Step 1: Identify the age group — this infant is 9 months old, which falls in the 6–11 months category. Step 2: Recall the DOH Vitamin A supplementation schedule: Infants 6–11 months receive 100,000 IU as a single dose. Step 3: Option A (200,000 IU) is the dose for children 12–59 months and postpartum women — not for infants under 12 months. Step 4: Option B (50,000 IU) does not correspond to any standard DOH Vitamin A supplementation dose. Step 5: Option D (400,000 IU) is an overdose and is not a standard dose in the Philippine program. Memory tip: 6–11 months = 100,000 IU; 12–59 months = 200,000 IU (twice a year).

Answer: B. 200,000 IU within 4 weeks (1 month) after delivery, single dose

Step 1: Postpartum Vitamin A supplementation is given to replenish the mother's Vitamin A stores and enrich her breastmilk. Step 2: The correct dose is 200,000 IU as a SINGLE dose given within 1 month (4 weeks) postpartum. Step 3: Option A is incorrect — 100,000 IU is the dose for infants 6–11 months, not postpartum mothers. Step 4: Option C is critically wrong — Vitamin A in high doses is TERATOGENIC and is CONTRAINDICATED during pregnancy. It must be given postpartum, never during pregnancy. Step 5: Option D is incorrect in both dose and schedule. Key NLE point: High-dose Vitamin A is given AFTER delivery, never during pregnancy, to avoid birth defects.

Answer: B. 60 mg elemental iron + 400 µg folic acid daily

Step 1: Iron-folic acid supplementation in pregnancy prevents maternal anemia and reduces risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. Step 2: The standard DOH dose is 60 mg elemental iron + 400 micrograms (µg) folic acid, taken daily. Step 3: This supplementation is given throughout pregnancy AND up to 3 months postpartum. Step 4: Option A (30 mg + 200 µg) is too low and does not match any DOH guideline. Step 5: Options C and D are incorrect because 800 µg folic acid is a therapeutic dose for women with prior neural tube defect pregnancies, and 120 mg iron is a therapeutic dose for anemia — not the standard prophylactic dose. Memorize: 60 mg Fe + 400 µg FA for all pregnant women.

Answer: B. Twice a year (biannual), typically around April and October

Step 1: Garantisadong Pambata translates to 'guaranteed care for children' — it is a bundled child-health service delivery strategy. Step 2: GP is conducted TWICE A YEAR (biannual), traditionally around April and October. Step 3: Option A is wrong because GP happens twice — not once — per year. Step 4: Option C (quarterly) is incorrect; if conducted quarterly, it would require resources beyond the biannual schedule. Step 5: The biannual timing aligns with the twice-yearly Vitamin A supplementation schedule for children 12–59 months (200,000 IU every 6 months), which is one of the services delivered during GP. Key services: Vitamin A, deworming, immunization catch-up, nutrition counseling, and growth monitoring.

Answer: C. 40 minutes

Step 1: RA 10028 (Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009) amended RA 7600 to further support breastfeeding in the workplace. Step 2: The law mandates a lactation period of not less than 40 minutes total for every 8-hour working period — these are PAID break times. Step 3: Employers are also required to establish lactation stations in the workplace. Step 4: Options A (20 min) and B (30 min) are too short and do not meet the legal minimum. Step 5: Option D (60 min) is more than the legal minimum — while generous, it is not what the law specifically mandates as the minimum. The nurse must know this law to advise and advocate for working breastfeeding mothers.

Answer: C. Politely decline and explain that EO 51 (Milk Code) prohibits promotion of breastmilk substitutes in health facilities

Step 1: Executive Order 51 (1986), the Philippine Milk Code, is the National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Step 2: It prohibits the promotion, advertising, and distribution of free samples of breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles, and teats in health facilities and to health workers. Step 3: EO 51 does NOT ban formula altogether — it regulates its marketing to protect breastfeeding. Step 4: Options A and B involve accepting samples, which directly violates EO 51 regardless of the intended use. Step 5: Option D is incorrect because referral to a superior does not change the legal obligation — the nurse must decline immediately. Accepting samples — even with good intentions — is a violation of the Milk Code.

Answer: C. Glow foods — specifically vegetables

Step 1: Pinggang Pinoy is the DOST-FNRI food-plate guide showing ideal food-group proportions for a single Filipino meal. Step 2: It uses the Go–Grow–Glow classification. Go = energy foods (grains), Grow = body-building foods (protein sources), Glow = body-regulating foods (vegetables and fruits). Step 3: On the Pinggang Pinoy plate, VEGETABLES occupy the LARGEST single portion — even larger than rice/grains. Step 4: Option A (Go foods) represents about one-third of the plate — significant, but not the largest share in the new guidelines that emphasize vegetables. Step 5: Option D is incorrect because while fruits are part of Glow foods, they are shown as a separate smaller portion (often a side), not the biggest portion. The key message: Fill your plate with the most vegetables, with grains and protein in proportionally smaller amounts.

Answer: B. 4 visits

Step 1 — Identify the standard: The DOH standard for a normal pregnancy requires a MINIMUM of 4 antenatal care visits. Step 2 — Break down the schedule: one visit in the first trimester (before 12 weeks), one in the second trimester, and TWO in the third trimester. Step 3 — Distinguish from WHO: The WHO 2016 model recommends 8 antenatal CONTACTS, which is higher than the DOH minimum. For the NLE, remember: DOH = 4 visits minimum; WHO = 8 contacts. Step 4 — Why the others are wrong: 2 visits is insufficient and not an official standard. 6 visits is not a recognized DOH figure. 8 visits is the WHO recommendation, not the DOH standard. Always clarify which guideline the question is asking about.

Answer: B. 60 mg elemental iron + 400 µg folic acid daily

Step 1 — Know the standard dose: The DOH Safe Motherhood Program prescribes 60 mg elemental iron + 400 micrograms (µg) folic acid DAILY throughout pregnancy, continued for up to 3 months postpartum. Step 2 — Purpose: Iron prevents maternal anemia, a leading cause of maternal mortality. Folic acid prevents neural tube defects in the fetus. Step 3 — Eliminate wrong answers: 30 mg iron is too low (used for prevention in non-pregnant women). 800 µg folic acid is not the standard dose for supplementation (higher doses are used therapeutically). 120 mg is a therapeutic dose for existing anemia, not the standard prophylactic dose. Step 4 — Memory tip: '60 and 400' — sixty milligrams iron, four hundred micrograms folic acid.