29.03.2024

Newborn swallowed amniotic fluid: how is it dangerous?

Not always give birth in the standard scenario, without any difficulties or complications, in some cases created a situation when the part of the kid generated some problems.

These include aspiration syndrome is a condition in which the birth, the baby inhales amniotic fluid, when activated the mechanism of the first breath.

How is such a state it is dangerous and in some cases whether it can be treated and prevented?

Peculiarities of terminology

Usually this condition say that the born child is “swallowed” amniotic fluid, but from the point of view of medicine is not quite right. This is due to the fact that is aspiration, i.e., inhalation, not ingestion of the liquid. If your baby swallows the amniotic fluid, nothing critical with it not happening, he actively did in utero, digesting them and releasing in the form of urine. But the lungs in utero he was in the sleeping state, and no respiratory movements were not carried out, was not in working condition.

During birth, immediately after birth, the baby due to hormones and irritation receptors of the skin, oropharynx, run internal mechanisms takes its first breath, due to active flow of air into the lungs they expand, the alveoli are filled with gases, and on the exhale, already do not collapse. Due to this is normal gas exchange and spontaneous breathing.

If the process goes according to plan, and the mechanism of the first breath starts before the child is born, in the uterine cavity, instead of air the baby can breathe into the lungs of amniotic fluid, which the process of opening the lungs and further breathing is disrupted, the impact on the gas exchange and complications can occur. Especially dangerous is the aspiration of water, which hit the particles of meconium (original cal).

How dangerous aspirinova waters?

In each case, the situation is different, and much depends on the reason why aspiration occurred, and the severity of the pathology, assist the child and even whether water pure or with impurities meconium. Often these children are under direct supervision in the children’s ward of the hospital with continuous monitoring of breathing and all body functions.

Usually by aspiration of amniotic fluid, which is normal color, nothing critical happens, if the child is breathing on his own and he conducted a full sanitation of the Airways.

Normal water is sterile, but their penetration into the respiratory system may threaten aseptic (nemikrobnoy) inflammation of the bronchi or lung tissue, but usually it happens in premature and weak infants, or when massive aspiration of a large volume of fluid on the background of hypoxia or other problems during childbirth.

Aspiration meconella water: what is it?

The situation with the ingestion and aspiration of amniotic fluid, dyed meconium, if the fetus had voided his bowels before the period of his birth is always a complex and extremely disturbing from the point of view of doctors pathology. So, getting meconium with water in the digestive system, although the chair is also sterile, can lead to digestive disorders with the formation of diarrhea and vomiting and loss of appetite and refusal of the breast or mixtures regurgitation. But this situation is not so critical, rather than inhalation of such waters in respiratory tract.

Such a state of threatened fetal hypoxia and asphyxia, due to the fact that vozduhoprovodyaschih path occupied by fluid instead of air. Furthermore, the dangerous inflammation in the respiratory system with fast accession of secondary infection (she gets out of the inhaled air is not sterile). All of this threatens the life and health of the child, requiring immediate resuscitation, and then and appropriate further treatment.

If the amniotic fluid by ultrasound have a serious degree of pollution meconium or there is suspicion of their infection, prevention of aspiration and the threat of complications is shown an emergency C-section to save the baby.

Change the color of the waters at birth: causes

Normal amniotic fluid is clear and has no color if it is dyed in yellow or green, is always a sign of danger and disorders in the organism of the mother and baby. In addition, it’s also dangerous clouding of the waters and the appearance in them of the flakes of sludge according to the ultrasound.

The reasons for such a state can become certain pathological processes, and delivery possible aspiration of these waters, which can threaten the child danger. Change the color of water – a condition not uncommon for obstetrics, and it doesn’t always mean that a child born in asphyxia or swallowing waters. But more careful to watch him and special tactics in the management of labor just necessary.

What are the causes of staining of the amniotic fluid:

  • The discharge of meconium into the amniotic fluid before the birth of the baby. This is a result of the influence on it of adverse factors, most often of hypoxia, because under normal conditions meconium is separated already at the newborn in the first two days after birth. The original chair has a greenish-brown color and its contact with the amniotic fluid and gives a similar coloration.
  • the development of hypoxia in premature aging of the placenta or perenashivanie pregnancy. At deficiency of oxygen in the fetus water can have a yellow coloration.
  • infection of amniotic fluid – borne pathogens due to defects in the SAC or of microbes by hematogenous (through the blood). The color of the water may be different depending on the type of agent.
  • the presence of congenital anomalies in the fetus, chromosomal, gene mutations, developmental defects leading to disruption of metabolic processes crumbs.
Newborn swallowed amniotic fluid: causes

If you suspect aspiration of amniotic fluid, in childbirth, the child requires close observation and a full examination by a doctor, as well as observations in the children’s Department. Sometimes requires urgent care and treatment. Aspiration of amniotic waters, dyed meconium, usually occurs in 1-2% of births, and aspiration syndrome can occur more often.

Although this phenomenon fully in its mechanisms has not been studied, there are certain risk groups among children are more prone to this disease:

  • children, born at post-term pregnancy with signs of over-ripeness
  • those babies who are born at term, while they observed the signs of acute hypoxia or chronic its course
  • children with congenital developmental (genetic, chromosomal anomalies, defects).

Usually the cause for the release of meconium into the amniotic fluid prior to birth becomes a critical and dramatic effect on the fetus of various external or internal influencing factors, the most common acute asphyxia or pronounced stress, leading to the launch of the active peristaltic movements of the intestine by relaxation of the muscles of the anal sphincter.

Tactics of doctors with the aspiration of amniotic fluid

Largely for the generic process depends on the mother and experience of the doctor, work experience of the midwives providing childbirth allowance. Experienced professionals can prevent the development of aspiration, but if it’s already happened, can take immediate measures to remove it from the nasopharynx before the liquid enters the stomach, or the baby will breathe it in the bronchi and lungs. If this happens, and amniotic water into the respiratory system of children after birth immediately placed in a children’s ward and intensive observing, conducting monitoring respiration and cardiac activity, assessing all the indicators.

For two days children are evaluated according to their condition, and if there are no signs of indigestion or inflammation from the bronchi and lungs, the baby is considered healthy and is translated to my mother in the house. Then they are usually discharged home under the supervision of the district. In the hospital these children to prevent possible infection prescribe a prophylactic course of antibiotics.

If the presence of the aspiration syndrome, the doctor performs the following steps in sequence:

  • Nose and mouth are freed from the amniotic fluid and clots of meconium immediately after birth of the head, to the exit from the genital tract of the breast and legs of the child.
  • Immediately after birth the child intoniruet the trachea with the aid of special apparatus and carry out suctioning of amniotic fluid that got into the respiratory system.
  • put the tube into the stomach with the suction of its contents and washing of stomach, prevents regurgitation and re-aspiration of amniotic fluid.
  • performed using the previously set tubing oxygen therapy and in case of serious problems the child may temporarily translate to IVL (artificially ventilate the lungs).
  • used intravenous antibiotics to prevent infection of the respiratory tract and the whole organism.

It is important to provide sufficient lactation to feed the child even in the face of the children’s ward and intensive care breast milk that protects against infection and assists in the formation of immunity. If the child is able to attach itself, you need to feed him on demand, to reduce the stress level and get all the necessary nutrients and protective substances. This helps to quickly cope with the consequences of aspiration.

Can be skipped aspiration syndrome?

In rare cases, if the amount of aspirated fluid was small, the doctors could be missing this condition. If the child is breathing independently after birth and had a loud scream, it is not always indicates that aspiration was not.

The consequences of this condition can manifest itself a little later, during the first month after birth. Therefore parents should carefully monitor the overall condition of the baby and note any alarming symptoms indicating such a condition.

They should include such displays as:

  • The occurrence of dry cough
  • The appearance on the inhale and exhale sounds unnatural breathing
  • The appearance of regurgitation, frequent and abundant.

If time to consult a doctor if these or other symptoms suspicious in terms of the development of aspiration, it is possible to prevent the development of complications that may threaten the health and lives of children.

Newborn swallowed amniotic fluid: implications

If you have a aspiration of water the child had not received sufficient help or the condition was not recognized for some reason, likely to develop serious complications and health effects. Especially dangerous is the aspiration of non-sterile, microbial contamination of the fluid or meconium particles having the active substance in the composition.

Is facing:

  • The formation of infectious bronchitis in the period months of age with the birth of the crumbs
  • Inflammatory lesions with infectious origin, in the lung area
  • Digestive disorders
  • Immune disorders because of the dangerous infection of the bowel flora (when it is non-sterile water).

If the doctor immediately after delivery were identified, which got swallowed amniotic fluid, and applied all measures to eliminate such status (sanitation of the Airways, gastric lavage), such consequences can be eliminated.

Prevention of aspiration syndrome

For prevention of aspiration meconella water it is important that the mother was carefully watching their health and not allowed to develop the infection, which could harm the baby. It is important to avoid contact with people suffering from various infections, avoiding crowded places during periods of epidemics, to reduce the risk of infection, to actively engage in the prevention of colds and influenzal infections.

If the birth occurred outside of the hospital and water in the separation are of a greenish hue, you should immediately contact to the admission Department of the maternity hospital to help the mother and baby.

In the hospital, in preparation for childbirth, for suspected infection of the amniotic fluid or contamination meconium will decide on the operation of caesarean section to prevent aspiration complications. Immediately after birth it is important to carry out a reorganization of the oropharynx and nose, freeing them from the amniotic fluid.

2 thoughts on “Newborn swallowed amniotic fluid: how is it dangerous?

  1. Can you elaborate? Your attitude should be accepted and normal for all…even so..There are extra reasons that negate this. Namaste- thanks for your consideration.

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