A patient who has experienced a fetal death in utero at 20 weeks asks what her baby will look like when it is delivered. How should the nurse respond to this patient?
A) "The genitals of the baby will be ambiguous."
B) "Your baby will be covered in fine hair called lanugo."
C) "Your child will have arm and leg buds, but not fully formed limbs."
D) "A white, cheesy substance called vernix caseosa will be on the skin."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lanugo is a fine hair that covers the fetal skin starting around 16 weeks gestation, and it becomes progressively thicker until approximately 20 weeks gestation. Therefore, a fetal death at 20 weeks gestation would result in a fetus covered in lanugo. The other options provided are not accurate descriptions of fetal development at this stage.

A Patient Who Has Experienced a Fetal Death in Utero