What is Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

What causes it

What are the symptoms

How is it treated

 Meconium Aspiration Syndrome is a breathing problem that usually happens in term and post-term (delivered after your due date) babies.

Meconium is a greenish, tarry substance found in the baby's intestines.  It is fetal waste products.  Normally the baby does not pass the meconium until after birth.

When something stressful happens during your pregnancy or during your labor, the baby may pass the meconium into the amniotic fluid.

The baby may gasp and then breathe the meconium into their lungs.

Stress to the baby may be something very ordinary.  You did not do anything wrong!

Symptoms can range from very mild to the more serious.  Most babies  have either mild or moderate symptoms.

Symptoms may include any of the following:

	Tachypnea (rapid breathing)
	Flaring (widening) of the nose
	Retractions (see the ribs with each breath)
	Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
	Nails and skin may be discolored green (like the bowel movement)
	Cyanosis (bluish discoloration) of the body
	Need for extra oxygen (by hood, CPAP, ventilator)
	Pneumothorax (air escapes from the lungs and is trapped between the lungs and the chest wall)
	Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)

Treatment is based on the baby’s symptoms and varies from baby to baby.

The baby is transferred from the nursery to the NICU—remember this happens most often in term or post-term babies.

The baby needs extra oxygen and in some cases needs help breathing.

To give the baby extra oxygen we may:

	Place a clear plastic box with oxygen flowing through it over the baby’s head.  This is called an “oxyhood.”
	Place the baby on Nasal CPAP.  Small prongs are placed in the baby’s nose and these connected to a machine to provide the extra oxygen and assistance with their breathing.
	Place the baby on mechanical ventilation.  A tube (ET Tube) is placed in the baby’s windpipe (trachea) and connected to the ventilator (breathing machine) to provide the extra oxygen and breathe for the baby.  We will suction through the ET tube to remove some of the meconium from the lungs.

Other things we may do are:

	We will draw frequent lab studies (blood) and Arterial Blood Gases (ABGs).  Blood tests are done to see how your baby is doing.
	We may give the baby sedatives to help quiet the baby and allow the breathing machine to do its work.
	We will get frequent Chest x-rays.  Again, this will help us see how your baby is doing.
	We will start your baby on Antibiotics to fight any infection or Pneumonia.
	We will continue to watch your baby closely and make changes as needed.

Sometimes, babies need more advanced help than we can provide in our NICU and we need to transfer them to other larger Medical Centers.  If this becomes necessary, the doctor will talk with you prior to your baby being transferred.