A client arrives for her initial prenatal examination.This is her first child.She asks the nurse,"How does my baby get air inside my uterus?" What is the correct response by the nurse?
A) "The baby's lungs work in utero to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide."
B) "The baby absorbs oxygen from your blood system."
C) "The placenta provides oxygen to the baby and excretes carbon dioxide into your bloodstream."
D) "The placenta delivers oxygen-rich blood through the umbilical artery to the baby's abdomen."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The placenta provides oxygen to the baby and excretes carbon dioxide into the mother's bloodstream through the umbilical cord. The baby's lungs are not fully functional until after birth. Option A is not entirely correct, as the baby's lungs do not function normally in utero. Option B is incorrect because the baby does not directly absorb oxygen from the mother's blood system. Option D is partially correct but technically incorrect, as the umbilical artery carries oxygen-poor blood from the fetus to the placenta.

A Client Arrives for Her Initial Prenatal Examination