Lanugo (Noun)
Meaning
The fine downy hair covering a human fetus; normally shed during the ninth month of gestation.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The lanugo helps the vernix caseosa, a waxy substance, adhere to the fetus's skin, protecting it from the amniotic fluid.
- After the eighth month, the lanugo starts to disappear, and by the time of birth, it is mostly gone.
- The presence of lanugo on a newborn is sometimes a sign of premature birth, as it usually sheds before term.
- In some cases of near-term or premature infants, the lanugo is still visible, which can be an important signal to healthcare providers.
- In most fetuses, the lanugo starts to grow around the fourth month, and covers almost the entire body by the sixth month.