Maternal Newborn Nursing Related

Review Maternal Newborn Nursing related questions and content

Parents who recently experienced the death of their unborn child ask the nurse, 'What is a fetal death?' What is the nurse's best response?

  • A. Fetal deaths occur later in pregnancy after 20 weeks' gestation.
  • B. It refers to the intrauterine fetal death at any time during pregnancy.
  • C. Fetal deaths occur earlier in pregnancy before 20 weeks' gestation.
  • D. Fetal death occurs only at the birth of the newborn.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Fetal death refers to the spontaneous intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during pregnancy. Fetal deaths later in pregnancy (after 20 weeks of gestation) are referred to as stillbirths, and deaths earlier than 20 weeks are referred to as a miscarriage.