What is Meconium?


It refers to undigested debris from swallowed amniotic fluid in the fetal digestive system. Meconium is made mostly of mucosal cells from the lining of the baby's gastrointestinal tract. It is bacteria-free and so it is sterile. It is greenish black to light brown in color that your baby passes from its bowels before delivery, during labor or after birth. Passage of meconium into the amniotic fluid may be caused by distress in the fetus. Meconium during labor is a sign of fetal distress. If a baby has had a bowel movement before birth and meconium is present in the amniotic fluid the fetus may swallow the fluid or inhale it into its lungs; baby could develop pneumonia or pneumonitis from this action. For this reason if meconium is seen at delivery an attempt is made to remove it from baby's mouth and throat with a small suction tube.