Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Meconium does not guarantee fetal lung maturity

M R Lauria1, M P Dombrowski, V Delaney-Black

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Defroit, Michigan, USA.

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
|May 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Meconium in amniotic fluid does not guarantee fetal lung maturity. Fetuses with meconium-stained fluid require the same prematurity risk assessment as those with clear fluid.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Teens with heavy prenatal cocaine exposure respond to experimental social provocation with escape not aggression.

Neurotoxicology and teratology·2010
Same author

PGE2/TXB2 imbalance in neonatal hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2007
Same author

The Preterm Prediction Study: toward a multiple-marker test for spontaneous preterm birth.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2001
Same author

Failure of metronidazole to prevent preterm delivery among pregnant women with asymptomatic Trichomonas vaginalis infection.

The New England journal of medicine·2001
Same author

Financial compensation for radiotherapy-related adverse events in a judicial system where proof of medical negligence is not required.

International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics·2001
Same author

Prenatal alcohol exposure and childhood behavior at age 6 to 7 years: I. dose-response effect.

Pediatrics·2001

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Neonatal Research
  • Fetal Development

Background:

  • In utero meconium passage can indicate fetal stress or normal maturation.
  • Meconium presence in third-trimester amniotic fluid is often misinterpreted as a sign of fetal lung maturity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of meconium-stained amniotic fluid in the third trimester.
  • To assess the incidence of biochemical and physiological lung immaturity in fetuses with meconium-stained fluid.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 2,377 amniotic fluid specimens for maturity and meconium presence (1991-1993).
  • Collection of perinatal outcome data for 905 intramural deliveries within 3 days of amniotic fluid sampling.
  • Gestational age determination using menstrual dates, clinical examination, and ultrasound.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Meconium staining was observed in 2.7% of specimens.
  • While meconium-stained fluid was associated with mature lecithin-sphingomyelin (L:S) ratios and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) concentrations, 17.2% of these cases showed immature lung markers.
  • Respiratory distress syndrome occurred in 3.0% of fetuses with meconium-stained fluid delivering within 3 days.

Conclusions:

  • Meconium in amniotic fluid is not a definitive indicator of fetal lung maturity.
  • Fetuses with meconium-stained amniotic fluid should be managed with the same considerations for prematurity risks as those with clear fluid.