Why Does Polycythemia Occur in a Fetus

question 17

Multiple Choice

Why does polycythemia occur in a fetus?

• A) Because fetal hemoglobin has a greater affinity for oxygen due to 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DP)
• B) Because the fetus has a different hemoglobin structure of two- and two-chains rather than two- and two ß-chains
• C) Because there is increased erythropoiesis in response to the hypoxic intrauterine environment
• D) Because the lungs of the fetus are undeveloped and unable to adequately diffuse oxygen to the pulmonary capillaries

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Definitions:

Hearing Loss

A partial or total inability to hear. It can occur in one or both ears and range from mild to severe.

Loud Noises

Intense auditory stimuli that can potentially cause hearing loss or stress, often considered undesirable or disruptive.

Color Vision Theories

The explanations and hypotheses that describe how the human eye perceives colors, including the trichromatic and opponent-process theories.

Trichromatic Theory

A theory of color vision that explains how humans perceive color through the response of three types of cones sensitive to different wavelengths.