What is lanugo?

Lanugo refers to the soft, fine, downy hair that covers a fetus during gestation and is typically present at birth. This layer of hair serves several purposes, including helping to regulate the baby's body temperature and providing an additional layer of protection for the skin. It usually begins to disappear as the baby matures and is rarely seen in full-term infants since it typically sheds in the womb or shortly after birth. Understanding lanugo is significant in the context of fetal development as it highlights the various stages of growth and the characteristics of newborns. The other options relate to different aspects of infant care and development but do not accurately describe what lanugo is.