Meconium aspiration

Alternative names:

meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)

Symptoms:

• dark greenish staining or streaking of the amniotic fluid or the obvious presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid
• infant's skin stained greenish (occurs if meconium passed a long period before delivery)
• infant appears limp at birth
• bluish skin color in the infant (cyanosis)
• rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• labored breathing (the infant needs to work hard to breathe)
• absence of breathing (apnea)
• the infant may show signs of post-maturity (weight loss, peeling skin)

Signs and tests:

Before birth, the fetal monitor may show a slow heart rate (bradycardia). At birth, there is meconium in the amniotic fluid (dark staining or streaking). The infant may have a low Apgar score.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF THE INFANT: .

• Direct visualization of the vocal cords for meconium staining with a laryngoscope in the delivery room is the most accurate evaluation for possible meconium aspiration .
• The diagnosis may be aided by listening to the infant's chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) and hearing abnormal breath sounds, especially coarse, crackly sounds.
• Tests performed on the infant may include:
• blood gas analysis showing low blood pH (acidosis, an acidic condition of the blood), decreased pO2 and increased pC02
• a chest X-ray showing patchy or streaky areas on lungs