While it can be a very minor problem during birth, meconium aspiration syndrome must be treated quickly and correctly to prevent it from causing serious injury. Meconium aspiration syndrome isn’t always preventable, but medical staff must be prepared to recognize signs and symptoms that can trigger MAS.
Meconium Aspiration Symptoms
- Rapid or labored breathing
- Grunting sounds with each breath
- Nasal flaring
- Chest retractions (skin pulling in around ribs or collarbone)
- Blue or gray skin, lips, or nail beds (cyanosis)
- Low oxygen saturation levels
- Weak cry or poor muscle tone (limpness)
What causes meconium aspiration syndrome?
Meconium aspiration syndrome occurs when the baby experiences stress or a loss of oxygen before or during birth. In turn, the baby passes meconium into the amniotic fluid, causing the baby to gasp or inhale the fluid.
Several factors can cause meconium aspiration syndrome, including but not limited to: prolonged or difficult delivery; delayed delivery; umbilical cord compression; post-term pregnancy; inadequate fetal monitoring during labor; and failure to intervene quickly by staff.
It’s important to note that meconium alone does not cause the issue. Meconium aspiration syndrome is usually triggered when distress is missed, ignored, or improperly managed.
Medical staff can make the situation worse by failing to monitor the heartbeat properly or notice signs of distress. If an emergency delivery is delayed when the baby is showing signs of distress, it can worsen the condition. Staff may ignore or mishandle meconium in the amniotic fluid or fail to resuscitate in a timely manner.
Serious injuries caused by meconium aspiration syndrome
Depending on how severe the case is and how quickly the baby is treated, newborns can experience a range of injuries from mild to deadly. Because meconium aspiration syndrome affects breathing, it can lead to oxygen deprivation and with that, very serious injuries.
Those injuries can include Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), a potentially deadly form of brain damage. HIE can also cause cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and other lifelong injuries.
Meconium aspiration syndrome can also cause Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), which carries many of the same dangers as HIE. However, PPHN can also cause heart problems, hearing and vision issues, and kidney disease.
Other injuries caused by meconium aspiration syndrome include seizures, learning or behavior difficulties, and long-term breathing issues.
It doesn’t take long at all for meconium aspiration syndrome to become a serious problem for your newborn. A simple mistake made before the baby was born can have lifelong consequences.
If your newborn suffered injuries after experiencing a bout of meconium aspiration syndrome, call the Palm Beach medical malpractice experts at Weisser Law today. We’ll look at the facts of your case and get to the bottom of what happened and how.
When someone else’s mistake changes your life, you deserve a legal team that truly understands your case and the laws involved. And you shouldn’t have to carry the burden alone. Weisser Law is committed to guiding you through every step of the process with the care you need and the strength necessary to win your case.