Vernix is the white protective coating on the newborn.

• A. First stool of newborn
• B. Soft spot on infant skull
• C. Caput Succedaneum
• D. White protective coating on newborn

Answer: (D)

Vernix caseosa is the white protective coating on a newborn. It’s made of shed skin cells and oily secretions that form in the womb to shield the baby's delicate skin from the long exposure to amniotic fluid. This coating helps keep the skin moisturized, provides some antimicrobial protection, and typically fades after birth as the baby adjusts to air and independent skin care.

This term is distinct from other newborn terms: the first stool is meconium, the soft spot on the skull is the anterior fontanelle, and caput succedaneum is swelling of the scalp caused by pressure during delivery. So the white protective coating on the newborn correctly identifies vernix caseosa.