Vernix (Noun)
Meaning
A white cheeselike protective material that covers the skin of a fetus.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The vernix covering the newborn's skin was washed off shortly after birth to prevent infection.
- Vernix is a waxy substance produced by the sebaceous glands of a fetus to protect its skin from the amniotic fluid.
- The thick layer of vernix on the premature baby's skin helped to regulate its body temperature.
- During fetal development, vernix starts to form around the 20th week of gestation and continues to thicken until birth.
- The vernix caseosa covering the fetus's skin also aids in the passage through the birth canal by reducing friction.