IBCLC Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Preparation Guide

The term that specifically refers to excessive blushing or mottling of the skin in newborns is cutis marmorata. This condition is characterized by a lace-like pattern of discoloration that occurs due to changes in blood flow within the superficial vessels of the skin. Cutis marmorata is a common and generally harmless phenomenon seen in infants, often triggered by exposure to cooler temperatures or changes in blood circulation.

In contrast, neonatal erythema refers to a different phenomenon primarily involving redness of the skin due to various factors such as irritation or infection, but it does not specifically denote mottling or blushing. Vascular malformations represent a broader category of issues involving abnormal blood vessel formations, which can appear differently in terms of their clinical presentation and are not limited to the transient symptoms of mottling seen in healthy newborns. Acne rosacea is a chronic skin condition that affects adults, characterized by redness and visible blood vessels, and is not applicable to the neonatal population.

Thus, cutis marmorata is the most accurate term to describe the mottled appearance seen in newborns due to the phenomenon of excessive blushing.