Does meconium inhalation affect the intelligence of newborns?

Newborns will receive special attention from the family. If there is any problem, the family will be very nervous. They will be particularly worried if the newborn inhales feces, always thinking that this will affect the baby's development and even intelligence. In fact, as long as the treatment is timely, it will not affect the intelligence. Generally speaking, as long as the newborn is treated in time, the condition of the newborn can gradually improve.

1. Why does the fetus inhale meconium?

When the fetus suffers intrauterine distress, it causes ischemia and spasm of the intestinal wall, and the anal sphincter relaxes, expelling meconium and contaminating the amniotic fluid. When the fetus is deprived of oxygen, it will first stop breathing and then gasp for air. Amniotic fluid containing meconium is inhaled into the respiratory tract, causing a series of symptoms such as respiratory tract infection and lung inflammation. After birth, respiratory distress is the main symptom, accompanied by damage to other organs. It is called "meconium aspiration syndrome". Fetal aspiration syndrome is more common in full-term and prolonged fetuses and is rare in premature infants. According to statistics, the incidence of meconium aspiration syndrome accounts for 1.2% to 2.2% of newborns.

2. Consequences of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

If a newborn suffers from meconium aspiration syndrome, whether it can be cured depends first on how much meconium the baby inhales, and second on whether the treatment is timely and appropriate. Generally, there will be significant improvement after treatment, but severe cases can cause pulmonary hemorrhage, cerebral hypoxia and hemorrhage, and even death.

3. 5 typical symptoms after meconium inhalation

After the baby is born, the doctor will check for some symptoms of meconium aspiration during a physical examination, including:

Symptom one: respiratory distress. Symptoms include rapid breathing, difficulty or even breathing pause.

Symptom 2: Skin. The skin color is not a healthy pink, but a yellow-green color, which is caused by meconium staining.

Symptom three: nails. The color of the nails is also yellow-green. In addition, the nails of a fetus with a long gestational period will be longer.

Symptom four: amniotic fluid. There is meconium in the amniotic fluid.

Symptom 5: Low Apgar score. The scores for skin color, heart rate, reaction to stimuli, muscle tone, and breathing were below the passing line.

Babies with milder illnesses do not show obvious breathing difficulties, while babies with more serious illnesses have symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, extreme irritability, and groaning.

Complications

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn should be suspected in newborns with meconium aspiration syndrome, especially those who are post-term. If the infant receives oxygen through a hood but blood gases are only marginally satisfactory or progressively worsen over time, the safest approach is to use positive pressure ventilation to avoid hypoxemia or hypercapnia, both of which can contribute to persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.