Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Ova, or eggs, remain in meiotic prophase I until they are triggered to mature. In this stage, the oocytes are in a state of arrest, meaning they have not progressed to the next phases of meiosis. This prophase I arrest can last for many years, starting from the time a female fetus develops and continuing until puberty, when hormonal changes stimulate the maturation of one or more ova in the menstrual cycle.

In meiotic prophase I, the chromosomes condense and homologous chromosomes pair up, but the oocytes do not proceed to meiosis II unless fertilization occurs in a subsequent cycle. This is crucial in the reproductive process, as it allows for the regulation of ovulation and ensures that ova are released at optimal times for potential fertilization.

The other options represent different stages of meiosis that occur after prophase I. Metaphase II occurs after ovulation and only if the egg is fertilized, while anaphase I refers to the separation of homologous chromosomes, which does not pertain to the resting state of ova. Lastly, interphase refers to the period of the cell cycle when the cell is not actively dividing, which does not apply to the maturation of ova specifically.