Drugs in pregnancy: fetal alcohol syndrome: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Drugs in pregnancy: fetal alcohol syndrome

Sample item

A newborn has microcephaly, a smooth philtrum, thin upper lip, short palpebral fissures and growth restriction. The mother admits heavy alcohol use in pregnancy. Which statement about the condition is true?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. It is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability, and no safe level of alcohol is established

Fetal alcohol syndrome features facial dysmorphism, growth restriction and central nervous system dysfunction. No safe amount of alcohol in pregnancy has been established, and exposure at any time can affect the brain. The deficits are permanent, so prevention by abstinence is the only effective measure.

Option by option

  • A. It occurs only with intake in the third trimester

    The brain is vulnerable throughout pregnancy, not only in the third trimester.

  • B. It is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability, and no safe level of alcohol is established (correct)

    Correct. It is a leading preventable cause of intellectual disability, and no safe threshold exists.

  • C. It is reversible if alcohol is stopped after birth

    The structural and neurodevelopmental damage is permanent.

  • D. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant condition

    It is a teratogenic exposure, not an inherited disorder.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is B, It is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability, and no safe level of alcohol is established. Fetal alcohol syndrome features facial dysmorphism, growth restriction and central nervous system dysfunction.

Why is "It occurs only with intake in the third trimester" not the answer?

The brain is vulnerable throughout pregnancy, not only in the third trimester.

Why is "It is reversible if alcohol is stopped after birth" not the answer?

The structural and neurodevelopmental damage is permanent.

Why is "It is inherited as an autosomal dominant condition" not the answer?

It is a teratogenic exposure, not an inherited disorder.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Drugs in pregnancy: fetal alcohol syndrome in OBG. No safe amount of alcohol in pregnancy has been established, and exposure at any time can affect the brain. The deficits are permanent, so prevention by abstinence is the only effective measure.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Drugs in pregnancy: fetal alcohol syndrome?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.