Maternity and Pediatric Nursing 4th Edition Test Bank Related

Review Maternity and Pediatric Nursing 4th Edition Test Bank related questions and content

The nurse notes the first stool of a newborn is black and tarry. Which term is used to describe this type of stool?

  • A. Meconium
  • B. Transitional
  • C. Miliaria
  • D. Milk stool
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Meconium is the term used to describe the first stool of a newborn. This stool is black and tarry in appearance. Meconium is made up of materials ingested by the fetus while in the uterus, such as mucus, amniotic fluid, and cells shed from the stomach and intestines. It is typically passed by a newborn within the first few days of life before transitioning to transitional stools, which are greenish-brown in color, and eventually to normal milk stools as the baby starts feeding on breast milk or formula.