Current Issues in Maternal Newborn Nursing Related

Review Current Issues in Maternal Newborn Nursing related questions and content

A couple has been counseled for genetic anomalies. They ask you, 'What is karyotyping?' Which description is most accurate?

  • A. Karyotyping will reveal if the baby's lungs are mature.
  • B. Karyotyping will reveal if the baby will develop normally.
  • C. Karyotyping will provide information about the gender of the baby and the number and structure of the chromosomes.
  • D. Karyotyping will detect any physical deformities the baby has.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Karyotyping provides genetic information such as gender and chromosomal structure. The lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio, not karyotyping, reveals lung maturity. Although karyotyping can detect genetic anomalies, the range of normal is nondescriptive, and not all such anomalies display obvious physical deformities. The term 'deformities' is a nondescriptive word, and physical anomalies may be present that are not detected by genetic studies (e.g., cardiac malformations).