Doctors diagnose MAS in any baby with breathing problems who is born through meconium-stained fluid and has no other cause for the breathing problems.
A chest X-ray can confirm the diagnosis. Doctors may do other tests to be sure nothing else causes the symptoms, such as a heart problem or pneumonia. A baby who gets extra oxygen but still struggles to breathe will get help from a breathing machine ventilator. An infant with severe MAS may need more treatment, such as:. Most babies with MAS get better within a few days or weeks, depending on how much meconium they inhaled.
If a woman goes past her due date , her doctor may recommend inducing labor to help prevent MAS. If a pregnant woman's water breaks and she sees dark green stains or streaks in the fluid, she should tell her doctor right away. This is a sign that meconium is in the amniotic fluid. In the past, doctors sometimes did amnioinfusion using saline to dilute meconium in the amniotic fluid or suctioned meconium out of the baby's mouth and throat at birth. But these treatments weren't found to prevent MAS, so are not routinely done.
Most infants with meconium aspiration syndrome recover completely. Some babies may have a higher risk of lung infections and wheezing, particularly in their first year of life. Reviewed by: Jay S. Greenspan, MD. Around day three to five, a baby's bowel movements turn to yellow, seedy stools.
Meconium ileus occurs when meconium acts like a plug and blocks part of the intestine gut of a baby. Babies with meconium ileus:. Any baby who has not passed stool for the first 24 hours, or a baby who is developing vomiting and distension enlargement of the tummy in the first few days of life, needs to see a doctor immediately. Meconium aspiration syndrome is a condition in which a baby develops problems breathing because the baby inhaled meconium into the lungs while still in the womb at the very end of the pregnancy or during the delivery.
Some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery and do not develop MAS or any other problems. However, in those babies who do develop MAS, it can be mild or it can be very serious and life-threatening. If a baby has meconium aspiration syndrome, then treatment will begin right away in the delivery room. Further treatment may include putting a tube into the airway and suctioning out some of the meconium.
The baby will need to go to the special care nursery or the neonatal intensive care unit for further tests and treatment. Meconium peritonitis occurs when there is rupture of the bowel before birth the bowel opens and then there is a hole in the bowel. Your healthcare team will be looking out carefully for any signs of this, and they know exactly what to do to make sure that your baby gets prompt and effective treatment and to prevent or minimize any long-term effects.
Most cases of meconium aspiration syndrome are not serious, and if it happens to your little one you can rest assured that your newborn will be in good hands. What Is Meconium? Review this article: 0. Start with: Your email address.
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