11-3.
AGE-RELATED GESTATIONAL CONDITIONS
a. Premature Infant. The infant's abdomen is relatively large, his thorax is
relatively small, and his head is disproportionately large. He has poor muscle tone, but
his reflexes work.
b. Postmature Infant. The postmature infant (see figure 11-2) gestation is 42
weeks or longer. He may show signs of weight loss from placental insufficiency and in
many cases the cause is not known.
Figure 11-2. Postmature infant.
(1) Characteristics displayed by the postmature infant are contingent upon
placental functioning and related placental insufficiency.
(a) The infant's skin appears pale, cracked, very dry, peeling, and
wrinkled with a noticeable absence of vernix. The skin also appears dehydrated and
has little subcutaneous fat, which accounts for the loose skin, especially in the buttocks
and thighs.
(b) The infant's fingernails and hair are long. There is no appearance
of lanugo.
(c)
(d) There is meconium staining of amniotic fluid, fingernails and
umbilical cord and even the skin.
(e) The infant has an alert appearance of a two to three weeks old
infant following delivery.
(f) With a more severe degree of placental insufficiency, there may
be asphyxia, hypoglycemia/hypocalcemia, and meconium aspiration.
MD0922
11-5