Meconium aspiration syndrome
Alternate Names : MAS, Meconium pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs)
Symptoms & Signs
- Bluish skin color (cyanosis) in the infant
- Breathing problems
- Difficulty breathing (the infant needs to work hard to breathe)
- No breathing
- Rapid breathing
- Limpness in infant at birth
Diagnosis & Tests
Before birth, the fetal monitor may show a slow heart rate. During delivery or at birth, meconium can be seen in the amniotic fluid and on the infant.
The infant may need help with breathing or heartbeat immediately after birth, and therefore may have a low Apgar score. The health care team will listen to the infant's chest with a stethoscope and may hear abnormal breath sounds, especially coarse, crackly sounds. A blood gas analysis will show low blood pH (acidic), decreased oxygen, and increased carbon dioxide. A chest x-ray may show patchy or streaky areas in the infant's lungs.
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