Meconium Amniotic Mayi (Baby pooping in the womb)

Normally, the baby in the womb does not poop, but after birth it poops for the first time. This first poop is called ‘meconium’. If the stress on the fetus in the womb increases (developmental delay, pre-eclampsia, blood flow disorders, etc...), the risk of the baby making meconium increases. In addition, if there are no risk factors but the baby is not born on the due date (overdue), the risk of the baby making meconium increases in direct proportion to the number of days that have passed. In other words, while this risk is less when the baby is 40 weeks and 1 day old, it is much higher when the baby is 42 weeks old.

How is it understood that the baby pooped in the womb? Unfortunately, it is impossible to detect this on ultrasound or during an examination. Although it is a suspicious finding to see the fluid with particles on ultrasound, vernix, which is the oily harmless layer shed from the baby's skin, also makes the fluid on ultrasound look particulate and dark. In summary, it is not possible to definitively determine that the baby has pooped without seeing the color of the mother's water.

Why is this important? After the baby has pooped, in parallel with the time that has passed, this meconium gradually begins to fill the lungs, mouth and stomach. In particular, meconium filling the lungs can cause a condition called meconium aspiration syndrome by filling the alveoli with the first breath taken at birth. Oxygenation of the baby may be impaired. Additional problems may occur accordingly.

Although this issue is really serious, overtreatment practices are not rare in our country today. Seeing meconium when the mother's water breaks is not a direct necessity for cesarean section. If NST is good, if the baby's well-being signs are good, if labor is progressing, normal delivery may be preferred. In addition, if the baby is breathing comfortably in labor, it is nowadays spoken that it is not necessary to aspirate the lungs.

      *In summary, the risk of pooping increases if the baby is stressed or if the day passes.

       *We cannot understand this 100% before the mother's water breaks.

       *The baby's pooping is not something to be overly afraid of.

       *The duration of exposure to it is more important.

       *If the findings are normal, normal delivery may be preferred.