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Meconium

Meconium is the earliest stools passed by a new born child.

This stool is quite different than the typical stool in the days the follow birth. This first stool is important.

Normal Meconium passage

Normally passage occurs following birth, but occasionally it can be passed into the amniotic fluid prior to birth

85-90% passage within the first 24 hours of birth

8-10% passage within 48 hours

Hirschsprung’s disease is a medical condition that often has the symptom of a newborn having difficulty passing their meconium.

Meconium is material ingested while in the uterus and includes:

–  Mucus
–  Lanugo
–  Bile
–  Amniotic fluid
–  Intestinal cells
–  Water
–  and more

Presentation

–  Black
–  Sticky
–  Appearance to tar
–  Viscous
–  Odorless

*** Feces are typically yellow in color and with plenty of odor

Testing

Recent research points to the advantage of testing meconium for various drugs

Infants who have been exposed to large amounts of alcohol while within the Uterus often will have an alcohol byproduct in their mecomium.