Incidence of and factors associated with meconium staining of the amniotic fluid in a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital.
This study was conducted to determine the incidence of meconium staining of the amniotic fluid (MSAF) and its associated factors in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Perinatal data on 80 consecutive live, singleton infants of booked mothers born through meconium-stained liquor from March - June 2003 were analysed and compared with babies born through clear liquor. The incidence of MSAF was 20.4% for 393 deliveries. The rate increased with gestational age: no case was found below 37 weeks (p = 0.001). Primiparity, prolonged rupture of fetal membranes and obstructed labour were more often associated with MSAF (p = 0.005, p = 0.0013 and p = 0.0000002, respectively) as were tachycardia or bradycardia and low Apgar scores (p = 0.0000001 and p = 0.046, respectively). It is concluded that meconium-staining is common. It is related to gestational maturity and stressful peripartum conditions and associated with adverse symptomatology in the fetus and newborn.
David
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R-Jolad Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. teedeeaa@yahoo.com
Njokanma
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Iroha
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D000653:Amniotic Fluid; D001034:Apgar Score; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008470:Meconium; D009549:Nigeria; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011273:Pregnancy, Prolonged