🩺 Nursing Question of the Day

Challenge yourself with one exam-style nursing question every day.

✅ Think carefully • ✅ Choose your answer • ✅ Then scroll down to check the explanation.

🧬 Edwards Syndrome — Trisomy 18

✅ Answer: (B) Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)

📖 What is Edwards Syndrome?

Edwards syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 18.

Trisomy = Three copies of a chromosome instead of the usual two.
18 = The chromosome involved.

👉 Therefore, Edwards syndrome = Trisomy 18.

🩺 Why is Option B Correct?

The combination of clenched fists with overlapping fingers, micrognathia, and congenital cardiac defects is highly characteristic of Trisomy 18.

Edwards syndrome has a poor prognosis, with high mortality during infancy and significant congenital abnormalities.

📖 What is Micrognathia?

Micro = Small
Gnathia = Jaw

👉 Micrognathia means an abnormally small lower jaw (mandible).

❌ Why Are the Other Options Wrong?

A. Monosomy X
❌ Also called Turner syndrome. It occurs when there is complete or partial absence of one X chromosome and is associated with features such as short stature, gonadal dysgenesis, and a webbed neck.

B. Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
✅ Correct. Clenched fists with overlapping fingers, micrognathia, cardiac defects, and severe congenital abnormalities are classic features.

C. Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)
❌ More strongly associated with cleft lip/palate, holoprosencephaly, microphthalmia, and polydactyly.

D. Trisomy 21
❌ Down syndrome is associated with characteristic facial features, hypotonia, intellectual disability, and increased risk of congenital heart disease, but clenched overlapping fingers are not the classic finding.

📝 Quick Comparison

📌 Exam Tip: For nursing exams, remember the high-yield association: Trisomy 18 → clenched fists with overlapping fingers + micrognathia + congenital heart defects + poor prognosis.