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Babies lungs are filled with a special fluid that is quite separate to amniotic fluid. It is called Fetal Lung Fluid (FLF). This is what is expelled as the baby is squeezed through the birth canal. The baby occasionally 'spits' a little of this into the amniotic fluid, as a result of fetal breathing. The FLF contains surfactant and lecithin/sphyngomyelin which is what is, or rather used to be measured when an amniocentisis is done to assess gestation and lung maturity. Remember L:S Ratios? Thank heavens for newer technology and the use of ultrasound scanning and telemetry in cases of need. It is retained fetal lung fluid that is responsible for most of the respiratory distress named TTN or transient tachypnoea of the neonate.
Also, a baby can quite easily recover from an distressing episode in utero, and, as outlined above, the mec does not necessarily go into the lungs causing MAS at birth. It is the first gasp in an extrauterine environment that may lead to inhalation of mec passed the originally closed glottis.
Gayle
-------Original Message-------
Date: Thursday, 29 May 2003 2:37:49 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Interesting..
And just to add something more, it is interesting to know that it (the inutero pooing) happens so early in gestation. We have also all been told (at least I have) that the more mature a baby is (ie post dates) then the more likely it is that there will be mec in the liquor. I'd like to read the whole article but from memory the abstract said that passing of meconium had been observed as early as 28 weeks.
Something I've often wondered about is those breathing actions by the baby. When a biophysical profile is done that is one of the items scored so it is obviously expected in all term babies. Yet most babies with mec liquor don't present with MAS. And some (a very few) babies with very normal uncomplicated labours and births do develop MAS. Is it the gasp of a baby in distress (which may happen at any time and be undetected) or just a random gasp that carries the mec deep into the lungs ? Just curious.
I just had a really weird glimpse into the future of all pregnant women past 24 weeks wearing telemetry monitors just in case something untoward happens. Am I paranoid?? I hope so. As Mary said it is all in the interpretation.
marilyn
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Interesting..
Debbie wrote: "It is well known that babies 'wee' in utero - so why not 'the other'?"
Deb, it is not so much that they do it, but how we interpret it. We have for years been told that meconium in the liqour is a sign of "Fetal Distress" There have been many unnecessary operative procedures carried out on women and babies because it was concluded that slowed Fetal Heart Rate (mostly normal head compression dips) and meconium stained liqour meant distressed baby. Then Voila! Apgars of 9 & 10 at birth or C/S. Midwives, women and doctors too have taken the blame for all sorts of things that happen to babies. (Not denying some negligence claims are true.) It has been known by midwives gor generations that women past their "due date" frequently have meconioum stained liqour. If is present...panic! Now we also know that the symptoms of meconium pneumonia and "meconium aspiration" are mostly present in the lungs before birth because babies do these marvelous "breathing actions" that we didn't know about before U.S studies told us so. It is very complicated. So, this piece of research is a very helpful piece of the jig-saw. cheers, MM
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