|
Babies lungs are filled with a special fluid that is quite separate
to amniotic fluid. It is called Fetal Lung Fluid (FLF). This
is what is expelled as the baby is squeezed through the birth
canal. The baby occasionally 'spits' a little of this into
the amniotic fluid, as a result of fetal breathing. The FLF
contains surfactant and lecithin/sphyngomyelin which is what is, or
rather used to be measured when an amniocentisis is done to assess
gestation and lung maturity. Remember L:S Ratios? Thank
heavens for newer technology and the use of ultrasound scanning and
telemetry in cases of need. It is retained fetal lung fluid that
is responsible for most of the respiratory distress named TTN or
transient tachypnoea of the neonate.
Also, a baby can quite easily recover from an distressing episode
in utero, and, as outlined above, the mec does not necessarily go into
the lungs causing MAS at birth. It is the first gasp in an
extrauterine environment that may lead to inhalation of mec passed the
originally closed glottis.
Gayle
-------Original Message-------
Date: Thursday, 29
May 2003 2:37:49 PM
Subject: Re:
[ozmidwifery] Interesting..
And just to add something more, it is
interesting to know that it (the inutero pooing) happens so early in
gestation. We have also all been told (at least I have) that the
more mature a baby is (ie post dates) then the more likely it is that
there will be mec in the liquor. I'd like to read the whole article but
from memory the abstract said that passing of meconium had been observed
as early as 28 weeks.
Something I've often wondered about is
those breathing actions by the baby. When a biophysical profile is done
that is one of the items scored so it is obviously expected in all term
babies. Yet most babies with mec liquor don't present with MAS. And some
(a very few) babies with very normal uncomplicated labours and births do
develop MAS. Is it the gasp of a baby in distress (which may happen at
any time and be undetected) or just a random gasp that carries the mec
deep into the lungs ? Just curious.
I just had a really weird glimpse into the
future of all pregnant women past 24 weeks wearing telemetry monitors
just in case something untoward happens. Am I paranoid?? I hope
so. As Mary said it is all in the interpretation.
marilyn
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003
4:18 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery]
Interesting..
Debbie wrote: "It is well known that babies 'wee' in
utero - so why not 'the other'?"
Deb, it is not so much that they do it, but how we interpret
it. We have for years been told that meconium in the liqour is
a sign of "Fetal Distress" There have been many unnecessary
operative procedures carried out on women and babies because it was
concluded that slowed Fetal Heart Rate (mostly normal head
compression dips) and meconium stained liqour meant distressed
baby. Then Voila! Apgars of 9 & 10 at birth or
C/S. Midwives, women and doctors too have taken the blame for
all sorts of things that happen to babies. (Not denying some
negligence claims are true.) It has been known by midwives gor
generations that women past their "due date" frequently have
meconioum stained liqour. If is present...panic! Now we
also know that the symptoms of meconium pneumonia and "meconium
aspiration" are mostly present in the lungs before birth because
babies do these marvelous "breathing actions" that we didn't know
about before U.S studies told us so. It is very
complicated. So, this piece of research is a very helpful
piece of the jig-saw. cheers, MM
| 