A client is to undergo amniocentesis at 38 weeks' gestation to determine fetal lung maturity. what lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (l/s ratio) is adequate for the nurse to conclude that the fetus's lungs are mature enough to sustain extrauterine life

Question

Dakota Hutchinson

Biology

4 April, 00:57

A client is to undergo amniocentesis at 38 weeks' gestation to determine fetal lung maturity. what lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (l/s ratio) is adequate for the nurse to conclude that the fetus's lungs are mature enough to sustain extrauterine life

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Tony Macias · Answer 1

The answer to this question would be: 2:1

A lung is called mature if it has surfactant that will reduce the surface tension of the alveolus. Lower surface tension will decrease the chance of respiratory distress. Letichin is the phospholipid that makes surfactant so it can be used to estimate the amount of the surfactant. Ratio 2:1 would indicate mature lungs with a low chance of RDS.