|
|
|
April/May 2001, Volume 21, Number 3, Pages 174-177 |
Table of contents Previous Abstract Next Article PDF |
 |
Original Article |
Significance of Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid in the Preterm Population |
|
| Heather Scott MD, FRCS, Mark Walker MD and Andrée Gruslin MD, FRCS |
|
Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
|
|
Correspondence to: Andrée Gruslin, MD, FRCS, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ottawa Hospital-General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1H 8L6
|
|
Abstract |
| OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have assessed the significance of meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) at term. However, to date, there has been very little documentation on the incidence and significance of meconium in the preterm population. Our objective was to define the incidence of MSAF in patients delivering prematurely (<37 weeks) and examine its association with underlying fetal acidosis, Apgars and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHOD: All patients delivering at a single tertiary care center between June 1994 and September 1997 were reviewed for the presence of meconium and gestational age <37 weeks at delivery. Maternal demographics and birth outcomes including cord gases, Apgar scores and admission to the NICU were collected. Exclusion criteria included multiple gestations, breech presentations, fetal anomalies and patients not in labor. RESULTS: Out of a total of 9570 patients there were 506 (5.3%) preterm births meeting the inclusion criteria, of whom 24 (4.8%) had MSAF noted either during labor or at delivery. Comparing the preterm group with and without meconium, there were no differences in maternal age, gravidity, rate of Cesarean section, or gestational age at delivery. Cord pH (7.27 meconium vs. 7.29 no meconium) and base excess (-5.1 meconium vs. -4.0 no meconium) were similar in both groups. There were no clinically significant differences in mean Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes. However, an increased number of NICU admissions were noted in the group with meconium (75% vs. 53%, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: The incidence of meconium staining of the amniotic fluid in labor in the preterm population is less than 5% and by itself is not a significant marker of fetal acidosis. Journal of Perinatology 2001; 21:174-177. |
|
|
|
|
Received 9 August 2000; accepted 28 December 2000 |
|
April/May 2001, Volume 21, Number 3, Pages 174-177 |
Table of contents Previous Abstract Next Article PDF |
|
|
