A Population-Based Study of Meconium Aspiration Syndrome in
Neonates Born between 37 and 43 Weeks of Gestation
Table 2
Case-control comparison in a population of neonates with GA ≥37 weeks and born through MSAF. Cases are severe MAS (i.e., treated by mechanical ventilation and/or continuous positive airway pressure). Paired neonates without respiratory symptoms are controls.
Cases
Controls
value
Characteristics of the mother
Age (years)
29.7 ± 5.8
28.9 ± 5.2
0.23
Nulliparity (%)
59.5
58.1
0.80
Past history of (%)
7.95
7.87
0.97
Characteristics of pregnancy
Multiple pregnancy (%)
0
1.5
0.24
Insufficient followup care (%)
8.99
0.75
<0.0001
Smoking (%)
21.6
18.5
0.52
Hypertension or preeclampsia (%)
2.28
4.91
0.28
Oligohydramnios (%)
4.5
3.4
0.62
Antenatal diagnosis of (%)
1.12
2.64
0.40
Gestational diabetes (%)
2.28
6.0
0.16
Clinical chorioamnionitis (%)
0
0
1.0
vaginal carriage (%)
12.9
9.4
0.35
Placenta praevia (%)
0
0
1.0
Placental abruption (%)
0
0
1.0
Characteristics of delivery
Cord abnormalities
23.6
26.7
0.53
(>12 hr)
4.6
9.7
0.13
Antenatal steroid therapy
2.2
0
0.25
Birth place:
Level I (%)
16.8
11.2
Level II (%)
49.5
77.
Level III (%)
33.7
11.2
<0.0001
Day time delivery (%)
56.2
42.6
0.02
Induction of labor (%)
27.0
28.1
0.83
Meconium in amniotic fluid
<0.0001
Thin (%)
33.7
76.4
Moderate (%)
55.1
22.8
Thick (%)
11.2
0.78
Amnioinfusion (%)
7.9
1.9
0.0067
Fetal Heart Rate (FHR):
Tachycardia (%)
17.2
4.5
0.0001
Bradycardia (%)
49.4
32.9
0.0057
Presentation:
Cephalic (%)
95.5
97.4
Breech (%)
3.4
1.9
0.37
Other (%)
1.1
0.7
Anesthesia
(i) Spinal (%)
14.6
9.4
(ii) Epidural (%)
69.7
67.0
(iii) General (%)
2.2
3.0
0.29
(iv) No anesthesia (%)
13.5
20.6
Mode of Delivery
CS (%)
37.2
20.2
Vaginal with manoeuvres (%)
17.9
17.9
Vaginal without manoeuvres (%)
44.9
61.9
0.004
Obstetrical aspiration (%)
5.6
3
Characteristics of neonates
Sex ratio (% male)
47.2
48.3
0.85
Mean birthweight (g) (±SD)
3388 (±549)
3329 (±476)
0.33
<10th perc. (%)
19.1
13.8
BW ≥10th perc. ≤ 90th perc. (%)
67.4
77.6
BW >90th perc. (%)
13.5
8.6
0.15
Apgar at 1 min ≤3 (%)
51.7
1.1
<0.0001
Apgar at 5 min ≤5 (%)
32.5
0.0
<0.0001
Tracheal aspiration at birth (%)
80.9
8.2
<0.0001
First care:
<0.0001
Pediatrician (%)
73.4
28.5
Midwife (%)
23.6
71.5
CS: Cesarean section, IUGR: Intrauterine growth restriction, GBS: Group B Streptococcus, PROM: prolonged rupture of membranes (>12 hours), BW: birth weight.
