IBCLC Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Excelling in Your Lactation Consultant Certification!

Question: 1 / 435

What change happens to the nipple in response to stimulation?

It shrinks

It becomes softer

It doubles in length

When the nipple is stimulated, particularly during breastfeeding or sexual arousal, one of the notable changes that can occur is an increase in length. This phenomenon is primarily due to the contraction of the smooth muscle fibers located within the nipple and areolar region, which causes the nipple to elongate and become more pronounced. This reflexive change aids in the feeding process by making it easier for the infant to latch onto the breast, thereby facilitating breastfeeding.

The other options, while they may involve different physiological responses, do not accurately describe the primary change that occurs to the nipple in response to stimulation. For example, while the nipple may experience changes in firmness or become erect due to stimulus, the key characteristic in this context is the increase in length, which is most closely associated with the described physiological response during lactation and stimulation.

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It changes color

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