Meconium is a black-green, odourless material first
demonstrable in the fetal intestine during the third month of gestation and it
results from the accumulation of debris.Passage of meconium slows down after 16
weeks and cease by 20 weeks of gestation. Almost all new-born infants who pass
meconium are mature.
However, in some cases; meconium passage may be associated
with umbilical cord compression or increased
sympathetic inflow during hypoxia and is also a potential toxin if the
fetus aspirates this particulate matter with a gasping breath in utero or when
it takes its first breaths following birth.
In addition intrauterine exposure to meconium is associated
with inflammation of tissues of the lung, chorionic plate and umbilical vessels
and through various mechanisms may contribute to neonatal morbidity,
independent of MAS.
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