A woman attends a prenatal visit and is told to start taking a folic acid supplement.

The Nurse Practitioner explains that this is to prevent:

Choice A rationale
Meconium is produced by the fetal intestines. The intestines start to form meconium around the 16th week of gestation. Meconium is composed of shed cells, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and lanugo.
Choice B rationale
The placenta does not produce meconium. Its primary functions include nutrient transfer, gas exchange, and waste elimination, but it does not have the structures necessary for the production of meconium.
Choice C rationale
Amniotic fluid does not produce meconium. Amniotic fluid surrounds and protects the fetus but does not contain the components needed to create meconium. Instead, the fetus swallows and then excretes it into the intestines.
Choice D rationale
Fetal kidneys are responsible for filtering waste and producing urine, but they do not produce meconium. The production of meconium is a function of the intestines, not the kidneys.

Choice A rationale
Fetal movement felt by the pregnant woman is a presumptive sign of pregnancy, indicating probable fetal presence, but not definitive evidence.
Choice B rationale
Fetal heart rate noted on ultrasound is a positive sign of pregnancy, providing objective evidence of fetal existence within the uterus.
Choice C rationale
A positive pregnancy test indicates probable pregnancy due to hormonal presence, but it is not a definitive confirmation without further clinical evidence.
Choice D rationale
Braxton Hicks contractions are considered probable signs of pregnancy, as they indicate uterine activity without confirming the presence of a fetus.