Chorioamnionitis will have which effect on lung maturation?

• A. Accelerated maturation
• B. Delayed maturation
• C. No effect
• D. Variable effect

Answer: (A)

Chorioamnionitis triggers a fetal inflammatory response that speeds up lung maturation. Inflammatory cytokines released into the fetal environment stimulate type II pneumocyte maturation and surfactant production, leading to earlier and sometimes enhanced surfactant availability. This accelerates maturation and can reduce the risk of neonatal RDS in preterm infants, despite other serious risks associated with infection.

So the best answer is accelerated maturation because the inflammatory milieu promotes surfactant synthesis and lung readiness sooner than would occur without inflammation. The other possibilities don’t fit because the typical fetal response is not delayed maturation, no effect, or a variable effect—it's a trend toward faster lung development due to inflammatory stimulation.