Which term describes a condition existing from birth?

• A. Acute Nursing Care
• B. Congenital Nursing
• C. Poison
• D. Chronic

Answer: (B)

Congenital describes a condition present from birth. It refers to something that is existing at the time of birth, whether detected right away or identified later through screening. This timing distinction helps differentiate it from other terms: acute means a sudden onset, often short-term; chronic means long-lasting or ongoing; and poison refers to a toxic substance, not a descriptor of when a condition began. In nursing, recognizing a congenital condition guides initial assessments, planning, and monitoring, with examples such as congenital heart defects or neural tube defects. It’s also useful to remember that congenital does not always mean inherited—some conditions arise from factors during fetal development, including maternal health or exposure to teratogens.