Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Practice Exam

Anemia of prematurity is characterized by what?

1. High reticulocyte count

2. Abnormal erythroid maturation

3. Compromised bone marrow production

4. Inadequate response to erythropoietin

The correct answer is: Inadequate response to erythropoietin

Anemia of prematurity is primarily characterized by inadequate response to erythropoietin. In premature infants, there is often a deficiency in the production of erythropoietin (a hormone produced by the kidneys that stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow), which contributes to anemia. As these infants are born before their erythropoietin levels have had a chance to increase adequately, their bodies struggle to produce enough red blood cells to meet physiological needs. Additionally, the immature bone marrow in preterm infants may not respond effectively to low oxygen levels or the stimulation provided by erythropoietin, leading to a reduced ability to generate new red blood cells. This situation results in a compounded effect where both low erythropoietin levels and inadequate proliferation of red blood cells lead to anemia. In contrast, conditions characterized by high reticulocyte counts imply a compensatory response to anemia, which is generally not the case in anemia of prematurity. Similarly, abnormal erythroid maturation might be seen in certain other hematologic conditions but is not the defining feature of anemia of prematurity. Lastly, reduced or compromised bone marrow production may occur but is not the primary mechanism distinguishing anemia of prematurity. Instead, the under-respons