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Risk Factors for Meconium‐Aspiration Syndrome
Author(s) -
Urbaniak Krzysztof J.,
McCowan Lesley M.E.,
Townend Kevin M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1996.tb02180.x
Subject(s) - meconium aspiration syndrome , meconium , medicine , obstetrics , intensive care medicine , pregnancy , biology , fetus , genetics
Summary: The aim of this retrospective study was to identify risk factors for meconium‐aspiration syndrome, and to identify antenatal and intrapartum risk factors which might be preventable. We analyzed maternal and neonatal records of the 210 infants who had meconium‐stained liquor and who also developed respiratory distress necessitating admission to the Special Care or Intensive Care Baby Units at National Women's Hospital, Auckland in 1992. Meconium‐aspiration syndrome occurred in 6.6% of meconium exposed babies and in 1.3% of total births. Severe meconium‐aspiration syndrome developed in 18 infants, moderate in 48, mild in 60 and transient respiratory distress in 84. An association was found between meconium aspiration syndrome and primiparity (p=0.0001) and Pacific Island ethnicity (p=0.0002). An association was also found between the severity of meconium aspiration and low umbilical artery pH (p=0.0002). Thick meconium and an abnormal cardiotocograph were more common in severe meconium‐aspiration syndrome. All deaths and long‐term morbidity occurred in babies with abnormal cardiotocographs or in unmonitored infants. Preventable antenatal and intrapartum factors were not identified in this study.