Meconium aspiration is a potentially serious birthing complication that could result in severe respiratory complications in affected newborns. This condition occurs when a baby breathes in meconium, the black, sticky waste product that has been present in their digestive tracts since the 10th week of pregnancy. Factors that might increase your baby’s chances of suffering from meconium aspiration include an extended or difficult labor, a history of gestational diabetes and a prolapsed cord.
Amniotic Fluid
During delivery, obstetrical care providers look for the presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid to help determine the likelihood that an infant could be suffering from meconiun aspiration. Approximately 10 percent of babies pass meconium before delivery, but only those who inhale the substance are at risk of meconium aspiration, notes Dr. Ian Gross, contributing author for “Oski’s Pediatrics.” The condition is typically more severe in infants who have been born at 42 weeks of gestation or later. Passing and inhalation of meconium generally occurs as a result of stress, typically arising from lack of adequate blood or oxygen flow.
Inadequate Oxygen Intake
Medically referred to as hypoxia, inadequate oxygen intake frequently occurs in infants who have aspirated meconium. This oxygen deficiency could occur before, during or after birth, depending on when the newborn inhaled the meconium. Symptoms of inadequate oxygen intake could include an irregular heart rate, reduced physical movements and the appearance of bluish, oxygen-deprived skin. Babies who suffer from meconium aspiration-caused oxygen deprivation often receive a poor APGAR score at birth. This score is a numerical rating an obstetrical care provider assigns to each newly birthed infant based on an assessment of the newborn's vital signs and overall physical condition, including quality of breathing, reflexes, heart rate and skin tone.
Pneumonitis
Pneumonitis is a common symptom of meconium aspiration in infants. Characterized by the presence of lung swelling, this inflammation occurs as a result of the inhalation of irritating chemicals present in the meconium. These chemicals come from bile, bile acids and pancreatic secretions that help make up part of the meconium. The lung swelling shows itself in various physical symptoms, including obstruction of the smaller airways and resulting respiratory trouble, such as rapid or rasping breathing and gasping. Particles of meconium could also physically obstruct the windpipe.
Testing Results
If a doctor suspects meconium aspiration, she typically requests a blood gas analysis and a chest X-ray after clearing meconium from the baby’s mouth and trachea. A blood gas analysis measures the amounts of various substances in the blood; in an infant suffering the effects of meconium aspiration, this test typically reveals excessively high levels of carbon dioxide, low levels of oxygen and unusually acidic blood, according to MedlinePlus. Dark patches or streaks visible on a chest X-ray also could indicate meconium aspiration.
References
- “Maternity and Pediatric Nursing”; Susan Scott Ricci, et al.; 2008
- “Oski’s Pediatrics”; Julia McMillan, et al.; 2006
- The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome; Dr. Arthur Kopelman; February 2009
- MedlinePlus: Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
- MedlinePlus: APGAR
