For Patients/Families

Meconium
A dark green, sticky mucus normally found in infants' intestines. It is the first stool passed by the newborn. Meconium is a mixture of amniotic fluid and secretions from the intestinal glands. Passage of meconium within the uterus before birth can be a sign of fetal distress. The meconium is very irrtiating to the lungs. If an infant is at risk for having thick meconium within the lungs, a tube is inserted into the trachea and loose meconium is suctioned out of the lungs. This tube, called an endotracheal tube, can also be used to help an infant breathe after the meconium has been removed.