title: Prophylactic amnioinfusion improves outcome of pregnancy complicated by thick meconium and oligohydramnios.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The null hypothesis is that the use of intrapartum amnioinfusion in labors complicated by the presence of thick meconium and oligohydramnios will not decrease the incidence of fetal distress, cesarean delivery, meconium aspiration, or meconium aspiration syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventy term and postterm patients with thick meconium and oligohydramnios were randomly chosen to receive amnioinfusion or standard obstetric care without amnioinfusion. The frequency of fetal distress, cesarean section, meconium aspiration, and meconium aspiration syndrome were subject to chi 2 analysis, Student's t test, or Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of fetal distress was significantly reduced in the amnioinfusion group compared with controls (three of 85 vs 19 of 85, relative risk 0.15, 95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.42). The rate of cesarean section for fetal distress was significantly reduced in the amnioinfusion group (two of 85 vs 17 of 85, relative risk 0.118, confidence interval 0.03 to 0.49). The rates of meconium aspiration (four of 85 vs 33 of 85, relative risk 0.12, confidence interval 0.0449 to 0.327) and meconium aspiration syndrome (0 of 85 vs five of 85, relative risk 0.09, confidence interval 0.009 to 0.872) were significantly reduced by amnioinfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amnioinfusion improves the outcome in pregnancies complicated by thick meconium and oligohydramnios.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Macri
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Schrimmer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Greenspoon
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008470:Meconium; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016104:Oligohydramnios / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012996:Solutions; D013577:Syndrome; D014469:Umbilical Arteries
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D012965:Sodium Chloride