ABSTRACT
Background: The incidence of meconium stained amniotic fluid is 8-20% among all deliveries. The Aspiration of meconium into the airway results in various short term and long term morbidities and mortality. Timely management of these neonates with meconium in amniotic fluid may prevent Meconium aspiration syndrome.Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore. All live Term neonates born between December 2016 and July 2018 with meconium in amniotic fluid were enrolled in the study. Details of the neonate was entered in the pre-designed Proforma. The objective of this study the outcome of MAS neonates and find factors associated with Meconium aspiration syndrome when compared with Meconium stained amniotic fluid neonates as a whole. These associated factors were presented as Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% Confidence Interval. Chi-square test was done where applicable and a p-value <0.05 was taken as significant.Results: Meconium aspiration syndrome was seen in 79 out of the 188 neonates born with meconium stained amniotic fluid.Conclusions: The morbidity and mortality in a neonate with Meconium stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) to develop meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) can be avoided with timely antenatal care. Meconium-stained babies should be aggressively managed to prevent complications like perinatal asphyxia and respiratory failure which may lead to the mortality. Those neonates with risk for adverse outcome should be managed with special focus on respiratory care with use of assisted ventilation and inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, where available.