Identification: foetal age by Haase's rule: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Identification: foetal age by Haase's rule

Sample item

A foetus is recovered with a crown-heel length of 40 cm. Using Haase's rule, what is the approximate gestational age?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. 8 months

Haase's rule states that during the first 5 months the length in centimetres is the square of the number of months, and thereafter it is the number of months multiplied by 5. Here 40 cm is beyond the 5-month length of 25 cm, so months equal 40 divided by 5, which is 8.

Option by option

  • A. 5 months

    At 5 months the rule gives 25 cm, which is the square of 5.

  • B. 8 months (correct)

    After 5 months length equals months times 5, so 40 cm gives 8 months.

  • C. 6 months

    At 6 months Haase's rule gives 30 cm.

  • D. 9 months

    At 9 months the rule gives 45 cm.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, 8 months. Haase's rule states that during the first 5 months the length in centimetres is the square of the number of months, and thereafter it is the number of months multiplied by 5.

Why is "5 months" not the answer?

At 5 months the rule gives 25 cm, which is the square of 5.

Why is "6 months" not the answer?

At 6 months Haase's rule gives 30 cm.

Why is "9 months" not the answer?

At 9 months the rule gives 45 cm.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Identification: foetal age by Haase's rule in Forensic Medicine. Here 40 cm is beyond the 5-month length of 25 cm, so months equal 40 divided by 5, which is 8.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Identification: foetal age by Haase's rule?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.