alleryStart learning →What does the fetus move in and out during fetal breathing movements?
AAir drawn in through the birth canal
BBlood plasma from the placental vessels
CAmniotic fluid with surfactant and mucus
DCarbon dioxide released by the placenta
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Amniotic fluid with surfactant and mucus
1. There is no air in the fetal lung, so nothing gaseous can be moved.
2. Muscle contractions cause the inhalation of amniotic fluid and the exhalation of the same fluid.
3. That exhaled fluid carries pulmonary surfactant and mucus with it.
4. The movements may help tone the muscles and help the alveoli form and mature, and they are considered a sign of robust health.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Respiratory System", section 22.7 Embryonic Development of the Respiratory System_
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