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Q: I heard that babies that are past their due date often pass meconium in the uterus, and that this can be dangerous during delivery. Is that true?
A: Before your baby is born, her intestines are lined with dark green, sticky material called meconium. A mixture of amniotic fluid, bile and secretions from the intestinal glands, meconium is the first stool a baby passes. In babies who are past their due date, however, sometimes a bit of meconium is passed before delivery and mixes with the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
At birth, amniotic fluid stained dark by meconium alerts the delivery team that this has occurred. Because meconium is irritating to newborn lungs, healthcare providers are concerned that the baby may have inhaled some in the course of the delivery.
Depending on the thickness of the meconium and the vigor of the baby, the delivery team may suction the baby’s nose and respiratory passages, removing any meconium that may be there.
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